Skip to main content

Full text of "The Improvement Era"

See other formats 


ixii°> 


M 


Or^ai)  of  tlpe  priesthood  Quorums  apd  tpe  Youp$  /Hep's 

/I\utual   Improvement  /Issoeiatiops  of  tl?<?  ($urel? 

of  Jesus    Christ  of  Catter-day  JaiptS 


Vol.  XII.  JULY,  1909.  No.  9- 

Published  Monthly  at  Salt  Lake  City  by  the  General  Board 
$2.00  PER  ANNUM 


Before  the  Smoke  Clears  Away 

On  your  flre-stricken  shop,  faotory, office 
or  store,  you  can  resume  business  if  in- 
sured with  us.  No  long  unnecessary 
delays  in  adjusting,  no  haggling  over 
terms;  but  prompt  payment  of  losses 
every  time.  It's  to  our  interest  to  get 
you  set  up  in  business  again — wa  can 
insure  you  again. 

Home  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Utah 
HEBBR  J.  GRANT  ft  Co.,  General  Agts. 

30-26  South  Male  St.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


BOTH  PHONES.  351. 

Jos.  Wm.  Taylor 

Utah's  Leading  Undertaker 
and  Licensed  Embalmer. 


Fine    Funeral   Chapel.  Private 
Parlor.Show  Rooms  and  Morgue 

OFFICE  OPEN  DAY  AND  NIGHT 

21,  23,  25    South   West   Temple   Street 

SALT  LAKE  CITY.  UTAH 


Established  1889. 


Capital,  $200,000 


Utah 

Commercial  and  Savings 

Bank. 


4<?c 


Interest,   computed   semi-annually,    on 
0  Savings  Deposits. 

Commercial  Bankin?  in  all  its  branches. 
Accounts  of  Banks  and  Individuals  solicited. 
Customers  assured  the  best  accommodations 
consistent  with  conservative  and  safe  banking. 


Wm.  F.  Armstrong, 
President. 


Byron  Groo, 

Cashier. 


Scenic  Line  of  the 
World 


THROUGH 
PULLMAN  AND 

TOURIST 
SLEEPERS  TO 

DENVER, 
ST.  LOUIS 
AND 
QHIQAGO 


For   Folders,  Booklets    etc.,  ad- 
dress   I.  A.  BENTON,  G.A.P.D., 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


DE  BOU'ZEK 
^HUMTZE-- 
^       CO. 


^?y?5Mff?F5*!r.^""'f^'  t  -*- """.  ~ 


DESIGNER/1 
ELECTEOTYPERl/ 


^ySklTlAKfttlxlfclff. 


The  STATE   BANK 
OF  UTAH^tS-r 


THIS  Bank  solicits  the  accounts  of 
banks,  firms  and  individuals,  and 
extends  to  such  customers  every 
reasonable  courtesy  and  facility. 


Joseph  F.  Smith,  Prest.         Chas.S.  Burton, Cashier 
Anthon  H.  Lund,V.Pres.     U.T .McEwan,Asst.Cash 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,    please  mention  the  Era  ) 


An  Education  which  meets  lite  squarely! 


The  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE  OF  UTAH  advocates: 

BREADTH  IN  EDUCATION.  Standard  courses  in  English,  mathe- 
matics, history,  economics,  language,  chemistry,  physics,  botany  and  zo- 
ology are  given.    All  the  basics  are  emphasized  in  all  departments. 

DEPTH  IN  EDUCATION.  Ample  equipment  and  an  instructing  force, 
of  specialists,  many  of  national  repute,  make  thoroughness  absolutely 
imperative.    The  graduates  of  the  College  are  remarkably  successful. 

FORESIGHT  IN  EDUCATION  A  modern  course  of  study  which  builds 
for  the  future,  with  emphasis  placed  on  Agricultural  Science,  Domestic 
Science,  Commerce,  and  Mechanic  Arts.  The  Man  is  fitted  for  The 
Work,  and  not  trained  away  from  it. 

A  free  catalogue  and  illustrated  circulars  discuss  in  detail  the  follow- 
ing outline  of  work: 

The  School  of  Agriculture  offers  college  courses  in  Agronomy,  Horticul- 
ture and  Entomology,  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying,  Forestry,  Ir- 
rigation and  Drainage,  Veterinary  Science,  and  a  three-year  manual 
training  course  in  Agriculture. 

The  School  of  Domestic  Science  and  Arts  offers  a  college  course  in  Do- 
mestic Science  and  Arts  and  a  three  year  manual  training  course  in  Do- 
mestic Science  and  Arts. 

The  School  of  Commerce  offers  a  college  course  in  Commerce  and  a  three 

year  high  school  course  in  Commerce. 
The  School  of  Mechanic  Arts  offers  manuai  training  courses  in  Carpentry, 

Forging  and    Carriage   Building,   Machine  Work,   Foundry  Work,  and 

other  trades. 
The  School  of  General  Science  offers  college  courses  in  science  and  a  two 

year  h;gh  school  and  college  preparatory  course. 
Irrigation  Engineering  is  offered  jointly  with  the  University  of  Utah. 
The  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  is  given  upon  the  completion  of  any  of 

the  college  courses. 
Certificates  of  graduation  are  given  upon  the  completion  of  high  school 

and  manual  training  courses. 

Address:    THE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  Logan,  Utah. 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,  please  mention  the  Era.) 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA,   JULY,   1909. 


Joseph  F.  Smith,  [  „,..  Hebeb  J.  Geant,  Business  Manager 

Edwaed  H.  Andeebon,    \  ejan0T*  Alpha  J.  Higgs,  Assistant 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 

An  Objection  to  the  Book  of  Mormon  Answered...  B.  H.  Roberts 681 

Key  to  Success •'••••  689 

Governor  William  Spry.     (With  Portrait) 680 

I  Know.    A  Poem Grace  Ingles  Frost      692 

How  the  First  Pioneer  Day  was  Celebrated Edward  H.  Anderson 693 

The  Clearing  of  the  Firmament.    A  Poem Theo.  E.  Curtis 696 

Self-Control— XIV.  Failure  as  a  Success William  George  Jordan  698 

Details 702 

Herbert  Melbourne— VIII Edwin  F.  Parry 703 

St.  Paul's  Companions  in  Rome.— IX.  Tychicus..  Col.  R.  M.  Bryce-T nomas...   708 

Triviality 709 

Opportunity  and  Happiness J.  C.  Hogenson 710 

Don't  Complain.    A  Poem Sarah  E.  Mitton 712 

Nauvoo  Today.— III.     (Illustrated) John  Zimmerman  Brown....  713 

The  First  Handcart  Company.     (With  Portrait)  ...  Lydia  D.  Alder 720 

A  Glimpse  at  Stevenson's  Last  Resting  Place 

(Illustrated) John  Q.  Adams 724 

Quit  Your  Knocking.     A  Poem John  Phillips  Meakin 727 

The   Tragedy  and  Triumph  of  Youth.— VII.   The 

Riches  of  Adversity  vs.  the  Poverty  of  Opu- 
lence   J.  E.  Hickman,  A.M 728 

The   Dispensation   of   the   Fulness  of  Times.     A 

Poem Theodore  E.  Curtis 733 

The  Christiania  Conference  House,     (Illustrated)  A.  B.  Larsen 734 

People  and  Places  in  the  Orient.— II.  On  the  Wave 

(Illustrated) Frank  J.  Hewlett 737 

Wonders  of  Southern  Utah.     (Photo) 743 

Editor's  Table— What  the  Purpose? President  Joseph  F.  Smith..  744 

Messages  from  the  Missions 747 

Priesthood  Quorums'  Table 749 

Mutual   Work— M.    I.   A.   Annual  Conventions— 

Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.   Statistical   Report— M.  I.  A. 

Annual  Conference 751 

Events  and  Comments    Edward  H.  Anderson 756 


IMPROVEMENT   ERA. 


Vol.  XII.  JULY,  1909.  No.  9 


AN  OBJECTION  TO  THE  BOOK   OF  MORMON 
ANSWERED. 

The  Difficulty  of  Passages  from  Isaiah  being  quoted  by  Nephite 

Writers,  that  Modern  Bible  Criticism  (Higher  Criticism) 

Holds  were   not   Written  until  the  Time  of  the 

Babylonian    Captivity — 586-538   B.     C, 

and  not  Written  by  Isaiah  at  All. 

BY  B.  H.  ROBERTS,  AUTHOR  OF  "NEW  WITNESSES  FOR  GOD," 
MEMBER  OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  SEVENTY. 


It  is  held  that  Isaiah's  historical  period— the  period  of  his 
ministry— runs  through  the  reigns  of  four  kings  of  Judah— Uzziah, 
Jotham,  Ahaz  and  Hezekiah.  Some  extend  his  ministry  over  into 
the  reign  of  Manasseh,  by  whose  edict,  it  is  said,  he  was  sawn 
asunder.  In  any  event  Isaiah  would  be  a  very  aged  man  at  the 
reign  of  Hezekiah,  698  B.  C;  and  he  would  have  been  between 
eighty  and  ninety  at  the  accession  of  Manasseh.  So  that  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  his  life  ended  soon  after  the  close  of  Hezekiah's  reign. 
Now  if  it  be  true  that  the  latter  part  of  the  Book  of  Isaiah,  from 
chapter  forty  to  chapter  sixty-six,  inclusive,  was  not  written  until 
and  during  the  Babylonian  captivity,  586-538  B.C.— as  is  assumed 
by  modern  criticism— then  of  course  the  Prophet  Isaiah  did  not 
write  that  part  of  the  book  which  bears  his  name  as  author. 

Again:  If  it  be  true  that  these  chapters  40-66  were  not 
written  until  and  during  the  Babylonian  captivity,  then  Lehi  could 
not  have  taken  that  part  of  the  book  of  Isaiah  with  him  into  the 
wilderness  and  subsequently  brought  it  with  him  to  America,  where 


682  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 

his  son  Nephi  copied  passages  and  whole  chapters  into  the  record 
he  engraved  upon  plates  called  the  plates  of  Nephi,*  since  Lehi 
left  Jerusalem  GOO  years  B.  C. 

The  difficulty  presented  by  the  higher  criticism  is  obvious; 
viz., if  Joseph  Smith  is  representing  the  first  Nephi  as  transcribing 
into  his  Nephite  records  passages  and  whole  chapters  purporting 
to  have  been  written  by  Isaiah,  when  as  a  matter  of  fact  those 
chapters  were  not  written  until  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  or  a 
hundred  and  fifty  years  after  Isaiah's  death;  and  not  until  fifty 
years  after  Lehi's  colony  had  departed  from  Jerusalem;  then  Jo- 
seph Smith  is  representing  Nephi  as  doing  that  which  is  impossible, 
and  throws  the  whole  Book  of  Mormon  under  suspicion  of  being 
fraudulent.  This,  therefore,  becomes  a  very  interesting  as  well 
as  a  very  important  objection;  and  many  among  the  higher  critics 
will  say  a  fatal  one .  Here  it  can  only  be  treated  in  outline ;  it  is 
undoubtedly  worthy  of  exhaustive  analysis. 

The  Book  of  Isaiah  divides  into  two  parts:  first,  chapters  1-39, 
universally  allowed  to  be  the  work  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  whose 
ministry  extended  through  the  reigns  of  the  four  kings  mentioned  in 
Isaiah  1: 1;  second,  chapters  40-66,  written  by  an  unknown  author, 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  years  after  Isaiah, 
sometimes  called  Isaiah  II.  It  is  claimed  that  these  chapters,  40- 
66,  "form  a  continuous  prophecy,  dealing  throughout  with  a  com- 
mon theme,  viz.,  Israel's  restoration  from  exile  in  Babylon.  *  *  * 
Jerusalem  and  the  temple  have  been  for  long  in  ruins — 'the  old 
waste  places;'  Israel  is  in  exile. "f  It  is  to  these  conditions  that 
the  unknown  prophet  addresses  himself.  His  object  is  to  awaken 
faith  in  the  certainty  of  an  approaching  restoration. 

Three  independent  lines  of  argument  are  said  to  establish  this 
theory  of  the  authorship  of  chapters  40-66,  in  the  Book  of  Isaiah: 

1.  The  internal  evidence  supplied  by  the  prophecy  itself  points  to  this 
period  [time  of  the  captivity]  as  that  at  which  it  was  written.  It  alludes  repeat- 
edly to  Jerusalem  as  ruined  and  deserted;  to  the  sufferings  which  the  Jews  have 


*  Isaiah  chap.  48  is  found  in  I  Nephi,  chap.  20;  Isaiah,  49, 1  Nephi,  21;  Isaiah 
50,in  II  Nephi,7;  Isaiah  51,in  II  Nephi,8;  Isaiah  53,in  Mosiah,  14:  Isaiah  52:  9,10, 
in  III  Nephi,  18-20;  Isaiah, 54,in  III  Nephi,  22. 

t  Driver's  Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  the  Old  Testament — Isaiah,  p. 
230. 


AN  OBJECTION  TO  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON  ANSWERED.  683 

experienced,  or  are  experiencing,  at  the  hands  of  the  Chaldeans;  to  the  prospect 
of  return,  which,  as  the  prophet  speaks,  is  imminent.  Those  whom  the  prophet 
addresses,  and,  moreover,  addresses  in  person— arguing  with  them,  appealing  to 
them,  striving  to  win  their  assent  by  his  warm  and  impassioned  rhetoric — are  not 
the  men  of  Jerusalem,  contemporaries  of  Ahaz  and  Hezekiah,  or  even  of  Manasseh; 
they  are  the  exiles  in  Babylonia.  Judged  by  the  analogy  of  prophecy,  this  con- 
stitutes the  strongest  possible  presumption  that  the  author  actually  lived  in  the 
period  which  he  thus  describes,  and  is  not  merely  (as  has  been  supposed)  Isaiah 
immersed  inspirit  in  the  future,  and  holding  converse,  as  it  were,  with  the  genera- 
tions yet  unborn .  Such  an  immersion  in  the  future  would  be  not  only  without  parallel 
in  the  Old  Testament,  it  would  be  contrary  to  the  nature  of  prophecy.  The  prophet 
speaks  always,  in  the  first  instance,  to  his  own  contemporaries:  the  message  which 
he  briEgs  is  intimately  related  with  the  circumstances  of  his  time:  his  promises 
and  predictions,  however  far  they  reach  into  the  future,  nevertheless  rest  upon 
the  basis  of  the  history  of  his  own  age,  and  correspond  to  the  needs  which  are 
then  felt.  The  prophet  never  abandons  his  own  historical  position;  but  speaks 
from  it.* 

2.  The  argument  derived  from  the  historic  function  of  prophecy  is  confirmed 
by  the  literary  style  of  chs.  40-66,  which  is  very  different  from  that  of  Isaiah 
1-39.  Isaiah  1-39  shows  strongly  marked  individualities  of  style:  he  is  fond  of 
particular  images  and  phrases,  many  of  which  are  used  by  no  other  writer  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Now  in  the  chapters  which  contain  evident  allusions  to  the  age  of  Isaiah 
himself,  these  expressions  occur  repeatedly;  in  the  chapters  which  are  without 
such  allusions,  and  which  thus  authorize  prima  facie  the  inference  that  they  be- 
long to  a  different  age,  they  are  absent,  and  new  images  and  phrases  appear  in- 
stead. This  coincidence  cannot  be  accidental.  The  subject  of  chs.  40-66  is  not 
so  different  from  that  of  Isaiah's  prophecies  (e.  g.)  against  the  Assyrians,  as  to 
necessitate  a  new  phraseology  and  rhetorical  form:  the  differences  can  only  be 
reasonably  explained  by  the  supposition  of  a  change  of  author. f 

3.  The  theological  ideas  of  chs.  40-66  (in  so  far  as  they  are  not  of  that 
fundamental  kind  common  to  the  prophets  generally)  differ  remarkably  from  those 
which  appear,  from  chs.  1-39,  to  be  distinctive  of  Isaiah.  Thus,  on  the  nature 
of  God  generally,  the  ideas  expressed  are  much  larger  and  fuller.  Isaiah,  for  in- 
stance, depicts  the  majesty  of  Jehovah:  in  chs.  40-66  the  prophet  emphasizes 
his  infinitude;  he  is  the  Creator,  the  Sustainer  of  the  universe,  the  Life-Giver,  the 
Author  of  history,  the  First  and  the  Last,  the  Incomparable  One.  This  is  a  real 
difference.  And  yet  it  cannot  be  argued  that  opportunities  for  such  assertions  of 
Jehovah's  power  and  Godhead  would  not  have  presented  themselves  naturally  to 
Isaiah  whilst  he  was  engaged  in  defying  the  armies  of  Assyria.  But,  in  truth, 
chs.  40-66  show  an  advance  upon  Isaiah,  not  only  in  the  substance  of  their  the- 
ology, but  also  in  the  form  in  which  it  is  presented;  truths  which  are  merely  af- 
firmed in  Isaiah  being  here  made  the  subject  of  reflection  and  argument.! 

*  Driver's  Introduction,  pp.  336,    7. 
t  Ibid.  p.  238. 
X  Ibid,  p.  242. 


684  IMPR  0  VEMENT  ERA . 

These  arguments  when  expressed  in  these  general  terms 
seem  quite  formidable;  but  they  are  much  stronger  in  general 
statement  than  when  one  follows  the  advocates  of  them  through 
all  the  references  cited  by  them  in  support  of  the  theory;  for  then 
one  is  impressed  with  the  very  heavy  weights  which  the  higher 
criticism  hangs  on  very  slender  threads.  As  before  remarked,  how- 
ever, I  may  not  go  beyond  outline  treatment  of  the  matter  here. 

The  first  thing  those  of  us  who  believe  Isaiah  to  be  the  author 
of  the  whole  book  through  so  many  ages  accredited  to  him,  both 
by  Jews  and  Christians — the  first  thing  we  have  a  right  to  demand 
of  these  innovators  is:  If  Isaiah  the  Prophet  is  not  the  author  of 
the  last  twenty-seven  chapters  of  the  book  that  bears  his  name, 
who  is  the  author?  Confessedly  chapters  40-66  of  Isaiah  are  the 
most  important  part  of  the  book.  How  is  it  that  chapters  1-39 
can  be  assigned  an  author,  but  the  more  important  capters  40-66 
have  to  be  assigned  to  an  "unknown"  author?  Was  knowledge  in 
those  antique  times  so  imperfect  that  the  author  of  such  a  remark- 
able production  as  Isaiah  40-66  could  not  be  ascertained? 

Second,  there  is  no  heading  to  this  second  division  of  Isaiah 
40-66;  and  it  is  not  true  that  this  second  part  is  unconnected  with 
the  first  part.  Allowing  something  to  the  spirit  of  prophecy  in 
Isaiah,  by  which  I  mean  a  power  to  foresee  events,  which  carries 
with  it  a  power  in  the  prophet  to  project  himself  into  the  midst  of 
those  things  foreseen,  and  to  speak  from  the  midst  of  them  as  if 
thev  were  present — as  indeed  they  were  to  his  consciousness — and 
there  is  an  immediate  connection  between  the  two  parts.  Chapter 
39  predicts  the  Babylonian  captivity.  Hezekiah  has  just  been  made 
to  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord — 

Behold,  the  days  come,  that  all  that  is  in  thine  house,  and  that  which  thy 
fathers  have  laid  up  in  store  until  this  day,  shall  be  carried  to  Babylon:  nothing 
shall  be  left,  saith  the  Lord. 

And  of  thy  sons  that  shall  issue  from  thee,  which  thou  shalt  beget,  shall  they 
take  away;  and  they  shall  be  eunuchs  in  the  palace  of  the  king  of  Babylon  (Isaiah 
39:6-7). 

In  the  opening  chapter  of  the  supposed  second  division  of  Isaiah, 
chapter  40,  the  prophet  launches  out  upon  that  series  of  prophecies 
that  treat,  first,  of  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from  this  captivity, 
just  spoken  of,  through  Cyrus,    king  of  Persia;  and  second,  a 


AN  OBJECTION  TO  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON  ANSWERED.     685 

larger  deliverance  of  Israel  through  the  redemption  brought  to  pass 
by  the  Christ.  Because  of  this  close  and  logical  connection  between 
the  supposed  divisions  of  the  book,  one  is  justified  in  holding  that 
the  inscription  of  chapter  1 :  1  applies  to  the  whole  book,  and  im- 
plies that  the  author  of  the  second  part,  40-66,is  as  well  author  of  the 
first  part,  1-39.  "Nor  do  the  words  'concerning  Judah  and  Jeru- 
salem,' "  says  an  eminent  authority,  "oppose  the  idea  that  the  in- 
scription applied  to  the  whole;  for  whatever  he  [Isaiah]  says 
against  other  nations,  he  says  on  account  of  their  relation  to 
Judah.*" 

Third,  the  higher  critics  must  deal  with  some  facts  of 
history  before  their  claims  can  be  allowed.  According  to  Josepnus, 
the  Jews  showed  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  (chaps.  44;  28;  45:  1- 
13)  to  Cyrus  the  king,  to  induce  him  to  return  the  Jews  to  Jerusa- 
lem and  order  the  building  of  the  temple,  upon  which  Cyrus  issued 
the  following  decree: 

Thus  said  Cyrus  the  king,  Since  God  Almighty  hath  appointed  me  to  be  king 
of  the  habitable  earth,  I  believe  that  he  is  that  God  which  the  nation  of  the  Israel- 
ites worship,  for  indeed  he  foretold  my  name  by  the  prophets,  and  that  I  should 
build  him  a  house  at  Jerusalem,  in  the  country  of  Judea. 

This  was  known  to  Cyrus  by  his  reading  the  book  which  Isaiah  left  behind 
his  prophecies;  for  this  prophet  said,  that  God  had  spoken  this  to  him  in  a  secret 
vision:  '  'My  will  is  that  Cyrus,  whom  I  have  appointed  to  be  king  over  many  and 
great  nations,  send  back  my  people  to  their  own  land,  and  build  my  temple."  This 
was  foretold  by  Isaiah  one  hundred  and  forty  years  before  the  temple  was  demol- 
ished. Accordingly,  when  Cyrus  read  this,  and  admired  the  divine  power,  an 
earnest  desire  and  ambition  seized  upon  him,  to  fulfil  what  was  so  written. t 

The  above  is  confirmed  also  by  Ezra  1 :  2.  Now  the  value  of 
this  exhibition  of  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  Cyrus  grew  out  of  the 
circumstance  that  it  was  a  prophecy  uttered  by  Isaiah  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years  before  it  came  to  the  knowledge  of  Cyrus.  It  was 
the  fact  that  it  was  "fore-knowledge"  that  caused  Cyrus  to  ad- 
mire the  divine  power  thus  displayed;  it  was  this  that  stirred  him 
with  the  ambition  to  fulfil  what  was  so  written.  Now  either  we 
must  believe  that  the  pious  Jews,  anxious  to  return  to  the  land  of 
their  fathers,  rebuild  their  temple,  and  resume  the  thread  of  their 

*  Jamieson-Faussett- Brown  Commentary,  Introduction  to  Isaiah. 
t  Antiquities  of  the  Jews,  Book  11,  chap.  1. 


86  IMPROVEMENT.   ERA. 

national  existence,  deceived  by  a  wretched  subterfuge  the  King  of 
Persia,  and  induced  him  to  make  this  proclamation  by  such  means, 
or  else  they  really  exhibited  to  him  the  writings  of  Isaiah,  and 
this  real  prophecy  respecting  himself,  fraught  with  such  mighty 
consequences  to  a  people  chosen  of  God  to  stand  as  his  witness 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  I  cannot  think  that  this  action, 
so  important  in  the  development  of  God's  purposes  respecting  his 
people,  was  founded  in  fraud;  nor  do  I  believe  such  mighty  results 
were  brought  about  by  disclosing  the  prognostications  of  some  un- 
known contemporary  whose  "eye  had  marked  Cyrus  in  the  distance 
as  the  coming  deliverer  of  his  nation;"  such  cause  would  be  inade- 
quate to  the  results. 

Again,  Luke  represents  the  Christ  as  reading  a  passage  from 
this  second  division  of  Isaiah  (chapt.  61:  1,  2),  and  reading  it  as 
coming  from  Isaiah;  and  also  as  being  fulfiled  in  his  own  person: 

And  he  came  to  Nazareth,  where  he  had  been  brought  up;  and,  as  his  custom 
was,  he  went  into  the  synagogue  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  for  to  read. 

And  there  was  delivered  unto  him  the  book  of  the  prophet  Esaias  (Isaiah). 
And  when  he  had  opened  the  book,  he  found  the  place  where  it  was  written, 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  poor;  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  de- 
liverance to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty 
them  that  are  bruised, 

To  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

And  he  closed  the  book,  and  he  gave  it  again  to  the  minister,  and  sat  down. 
And  the  eyes  of  all  them  that  were  in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  on  him. 

And  he  began  ta  say  unto  them,  This  day  is  this  scripture  fulfiled  in  your 
ears. 

And  all  bare  him  witness,  and  wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded 
out  of  his  mouth  (Luke  4:  16-22). 

One  can  scarcely  thinK  of  Jesus  being  mistaken  in  respect  of 
the  authorship  of  the  Scripture  from  which  he  read,  especially  re- 
specting a  prophecy  relating  to  himself.  Furthermore,  whoever 
wrote  Isaiah  61:  1,  2,  whether  Isaiah,  the  admitted  author  of 
Isaiah  chs.  1-39,  or  some  other  author  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  two 
hundred  years  later,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  of  the  Baby- 
lonian captivity,  this  much  is  true:  he  projected  himself  forward 
sorae  several  hundreds  of  years  into  the  times  of  the  beginning  of 
the  Christ's  mission,  (if  we  may  believe  the  Christ  when  he  applies 


AN  OBJECTION  TO  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON  ANSWERED.     687 

the  prophecy  to  himself  and  proclaims  the  fulfilment  of  it  in  the 
happening  cf  that  day)  speaks  in  the  present  tense,  as  if  pleading 
with  the  men  of  his  own  day.  So  that  if  this  power  is  admitted 
as  being  possessed  by  the  supposed  "unknown"  author  of  chapters 
40-66  it  might  as  well  be  accorded  to  Isaiah  as  to  him;  and  if  that 
power  be  accorded  to  a  propheti;  writer,  then  all  the  difficulties 
conjured  up  by  our  modern  critics,  and  to  overcome  which  their 
theories  were  invoked,  meet  with  easy  solution. 

As  to  the  difference  of  literary  style  between  the  first  and 
second  division  of  Isaiah's  book,  urging  as  necessary  the  belief  in 
different  authors  for  the  two  parts,  I  am  disposed  to  give  con- 
siderable weight  to  such  evidence,  since  I  know  how  strong  the 
tendency  in  expression  towards  individuation  is;  but  those  more 
competent  to  judge  of  that  subject  than  I  am,  hold  that  of  all  the 
prophetic  writers,  Isaiah  possesses  the  widest  range  of  literary 
style,  the  largest  richness  in  coloring  and  forms  of  expression. 
And  this  when  the  view  of  his  style  is  confined  to  that  part  of  his 
book  of  which  all  allow  he  is  the  author.  As  for  example,  the  one 
author  most  assured  that  Isaiah  did  not  write  chs.  40-66  of  the 
book  that  bears  his  name,  the  author  of  An  Introduction  to  the 
Literature  of  the  Old  Testament,  speaking  of  Isaiah,  and  of 
course  limiting  his  comment  to  the  author  of  chs.  1-39,  says: 

Isaiah's  poetical  genius  is  superb.  His  characteristics  are  grandeur  and 
beauty  of  conception,  wealth  of  imagination,  vividness  of  illustration,  compressed 
energy  and  splendor  of  diction.  *  *  *  *  Examples  of  picturesque  and  im- 
pressive imagery  are  indeed  so  abundant  that  selection  is  difficult.  These  may  be 
instanced,  however:  the  banner  raised  aloft  upon  the  mountains;  the  restless  roar 
of  the  sea;  the  waters  rising  with  irresistible  might;  the  forest  consumed  rapidly 
in  the  circling  flames,  or  stripped  of  its  foliage  by  an  unseen  hand;  the  raised 
way;  the  rushing  of  many  waters;  the  storm  driving  or  beating  down  all  before  it; 
the  monster  funeral  pyre;  Jehovah's  hand  "stretched  out,"  or  "swung,"  over 
the  earth,  and  bearing  consternation  with  it.  Especially  grand  are  the  figures 
under  which  he  conceives  Jehovah  as  "rising  up,"  being  "exalted,"  or  otherwise 
asserting  his  majesty  against  chose  who  would  treat  it  with  disregard  or  disdain. 
*  *  *  *  The  brilliancy  and  power  of  Isaiah's  genius  appear  further  in  the 
sudden  contrasts,  and  pointed  antitheses  and  retorts,  in  which  he  delights. 

Isaiah's  literary  style  shows  similar  characteristics.  It  is  chaste  and  digni- 
fied: the  language  is  choice,  but  devoid  of  all  artificiality  or  stiffness;  every  sent- 
ence is  compact  and  forcible;  the  rhythm  is  stately;  the  periods  are  finely  rounded; 
Isaiah  indulges  occasionally — in  the  manner  of  his  people — in  tone-painting,   and 


«88  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 

sometimes  enforces  his  meaning  by  an  effective  assonance,  but  never  to  excess,  or 
as  a  meretricious  ornament.  His  style  is  never  diffuse:  even  his  longest  discourses 
are  not  monotonous  or  prolix;  he  knows  how  to  treat  his  subject  fruitfully,  and, 
as  he  moves  along,  to  bring  before  his  reader  new  and  varied  aspects  of  it;  thus 
he  seizes  a  number  of  salient  points  and  presents  each  singly  in  a  vivid  picture- 
*  *  *  *  No  prophet  has  Isaiah's  power  either  of  conception  or  of  expression; 
none  has  the  same  command  of  noble  thoughts,  or  can  present  them  in  the  same 
noble  and  attractive  language. 

Immerse  such  a  writer  a?  this  into  the  spirit  of  the  future, 
give  him  the  theme  of  Israel's  deliverance  from  Babylonian 
captivity,  or  the  larger  deliverance  of  Israel  and  the  world 
from  sin  and  death  through  the  mission  of  the  Christ;  and  what 
new  coloring  may  he  not  give  to  his  style?  What  greater  depths 
of  truth  respecting  God  and  man  may  he  not  sound,  calling  for  new 
phraseology,  new  words  and  combinations  to  express  the  deeper 
knowledge  of  the  enlarged  "vision?"  This  I  believe  is  what  hap- 
pened to  the  Prophet.  He  was  so  immersed;  and  his  style  under 
the  inspiration  of  God  rose  to  meet  the  new  environment  and  the 
enlarged  views  given  by  the  wider  vision . 

One  of  the  most  forceful  passages  on  this  subject  that  I  have 
yet  found  is  one  written  by  Professor  Daniel  Smith  Talcott,  D.  D., 
of  the  Theological  Seminary,  Bangor,  Maine.  He  contributes  the 
article  on  "Isaiah"  to  Hackett's  edition  of  Smith's  Dictionary  oj 
the  Bible,  and  in  the  course  of  his  treatise,  referring  to  the  di- 
versity of  style  between  the  two  alleged  parts  of  Isaiah,  says: 

The  array  of  linguistic  evidence  in  proof  of  a  diversity  of  authorship,  which 
has  gradually  grown  within  the  last  century  into  the  formidable  proportions  in 
which  it  meets  us  in  the  pages  of  Knobel  and  others,  rests  very  largely  upon  an 
assumption  which  none  of  these  critics  have  the  hardihood  distinctly  to  vindicate, 
namely,  that  within  the  narrow  compass  of  the  Hebrew  literature  that  has  come  down 
to  us  from  any  given  period,  we  have  the  means  for  arriving  at  an  accurate  esti- 
mate of  all  the  resources  which  the  language  at  that  time  possessei.  When  we 
have  eliminated  from  the  list  of  words  and  phrases  relied  upon  to  prove  a  later 
date  than  the  time  of  Isaiah,  everything  the  value  of  which  to  the  argument  must 
stand  or  fall  with  this  assumption,  there  remains  absolutely  nothing  which  may 
not  be  reasonably  referred  to  the  reign  of  Hezekiah.  Indeed,  considering  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  times,  it  might  justly  have  been  expected  that  the  traces  of 
foreign  influence  upon  the  language  would  be  far  more  conspicuous  in  a  writing 
of  this  date  than  they  actually  are  in  the  controverted  portions. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  ministry  of  the  prophet  must  have  extended 
through  a  period,  at  the  lowest  calculation,  of  nearly  fifty  years;  a  period  signal- 


AN  OBJECTION  TO  THE  BOOK  OF  MORMON  ANSWERED.    689 

ized,  especially  during  the  reigns  of  Ahaz  and  Hezekiah,  by  constant  and  growing 
^tercourse  with  foreign  nations,  thus  involving  continually  new  influences  for  the 
corruption  of  public  morals  and  new  dangers  to  the  state,  and  making  it  incumbent 
upon  him  who  had  been  divinely  constituted  at  once  the  political  adviser  of  the 
nation  and  its  religious  guide,  to  be  habitually  and  intimately  conversant  among 
the  people,  so  as  to  descry  upon  the  instant  every  additional  step  taken  in  their 
downward  course  and  the  first  approach  of  each  new  peril  from  abroad,  and  to  be 
able  to  meet  each  successive  phase  of  their  necessities  with  forms  of  instruction, 
admonition,  and  warning,  not  only  in  their  general  purport,  but  in  their  very  style 
and  diction,  accommodated  to  conditions  hitherto  unknown,  and  that  were  still 
perpetually  changing. 

Now  when  we  take  all  this  into  the  account,  and  then  imagine  to  ourselves 
the  prophet,  toward  the  close  of  this  long  period,  entering  upon  what  was  in  some 
respects  a  novel  kind  of  labor,  and  writing  out  with  a  special  view  to  the  benefit 
of  a  remote  posterity,  the  suggestions  of  that  mysterious  Theopneustia  to  which 
his  lips  had  been  for  so  many  years  the  channel  of  communication  with  his  con- 
temporaries, far  from  finding  any  difficulty  in  the  diversities  of  style  perceptible 
in  the  different  portions  of  his  prophecy,  we  shall  only  see  fresh  occasion  to  ad- 
mire that  native  strength  and  grandeur  of  intellect,  which  have  still  left  upon 
productions  so  widely  remote  from  each  other  in  the  time  and  circumstances  of 
their  composition,  so  plain  an  impress  of  one  and  the  same  overmastering  individ- 
uality.    (Smith's  Bible  Dictionary,  Vol.  II,  p.  1165.) 

Believers  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  have  no  occasion  of  uneasi- 
ness because  passages  from  the  latter  part  of  Isaiah's  book  are 
found  transcribed  into  the  Nephite  record.  The  theories  of  mod- 
ern critics  have  not  destroyed  the  integrity  and  unity  of  the  Book 
of  Isaiah.  And  after  the  overwhelming  evidences  for  the  truth 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  are  taken  into  account;  and  it  is  found 
that  on  the  plates  of  Nephi  there  were  transcripts  from  the  latter 
part  of  Isaiah's  writings,taken  from  a  copy  of  his  prophecies  carried 
by  a  colony  of  Jews  from  Jerusalem  to  the  western  hemisphere, 
six  hundred  years  before  Christ— men  will  discern  in  this  dis- 
covery new  evidence  for  the  Isaiah  authorship  of  the  whole  book 
of  Isaiah. 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


KEY  TO  SUCCESS. 


The  key  to  success  in  any  department  of  life  is  self-denial.  Idleness,  lazi- 
ness, wastefulness,  come  from  lack  of  it,  while  industry,  promptitude,  economy, 
thrift  and  a  successful  career  are  the  results  of  it, 


GOVERNOR   WILLIAM  SPRY. 


The  present  governor  of  the  state  of  Utah  was  born  in  Wind- 
sor, England,  on  the  11th  day  of  January,  1864. 

At  the  early  age  of  eleven  years  Mr.  Spry  came  to  America 
with  his  parents,  settling  in  Utah,  where  he  has  resided  since  the 
year  1875.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  schools  of  the 
state  and  has  been  confined  to  the  advantages  which  could  be 
obtained  from  the  common  school  branches.  He  began  manual 
labor  early  in  life  and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  worked  as  a  stable 
boy,  and  later  at  railroad  work,  as  a  section  hand.  From  this, 
he  advanced  to  the  blacksmith  shops  where  he  made  a  record  as  a 
striker — not,  however,  as  one  who  strikes  for  better  terms  or 
higher  wages,  but  as  one  who  strikes  while  the  iron  is  hot,  a  char- 
acteristic that  has  continued  with  him  up  to  date.  Quitting  the 
railroad  shops,  he  later  engaged  in  the  hide  and  wool  business,  in 
wMch,  as  in  other  vocations,  he  succeeded  admirably. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  was  called  as  a  missionary  to 
the  Southern  States.  Here  he  labored  for  six  years,  the  last  four 
of  which  were  spent  in  charge  of  the  mission  which  then  com- 
prised all  the  states  south  of  the  Mason  and  Dixon  Line.  In  1890, 
while  yet  in  the  mission  field  and  one  year  before  his  release,  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Alice  Wrathall.  He  has  an  interesting  family 
of  children.  On  his  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  after  he  had  filled 
his  mission  in  a  most  honorable  manner,  he  became  connected 
with  Zion's  Co-operative  Mercantile  Institution,  for  which  organi- 
zation he  began  to  labor  in  the  fall  of  1891.  Quitting  this  work, 
he  moved  to  Tooele,  in  1893,  at  which  place  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising  with  more  or  less  success.  His  political 
career  began  in  1894,  when  he  was  elected  county  collector   of 


GOVERNOR  WILLIAM  SFRY. 


692  IMPR 0  VEMENT  ERA . 

Tooele  county.  This  position  he  held  until  the  office  was  abolished 
by  act  of  the  legislature.  In  the  fall  of  1902  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  State  Legislature,  as  a  representative  of  Tooele 
County,  and  two  years  later  became  state  chairman  of  the  Repub- 
lican p~rty.  In  March  of  1905,  he  was  appointed  a  member  of 
the  State  Board  of  Land  Commissioners,  and  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  board.  In  this  position  he  served  until  t,_e  15th  of 
February,  1906,  when  he  took  charge  of  the  United  States  Marsh- 
al's Office  for  the  district  of  Utah,  having  been  appointed  by 
President  Roosevelt  in  January  of  that  year.  It  was  in  the  fall 
of  1908,  that  he  was  elected  Governor  of  the  State  of  Utah, 
succeeding  Governor  John  C.  Cutler,  in  January,  1909. 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


KNOW. 


(For  the  Improvement 

I  know  in  whom  I  trust: 

My  Father,  God  and  King, 
I  know  thy  word  is  sure, 

That  it  will  one  day  bring 
My  weary,  earth-bound  soul 

Back  unto  thee  once  more. 
I  shall  not  knock  in  vain; 

If  I  prove  true,  the  door 
Will  open  wide  to  me. 

I  know  in  whom  I  trust. 

Tho'  fierce  the  battle-cry, 
The  foe  can  ne'er  o'ercome 

When  thou,  my  King,  art  nigh. 
Then  give  me  strength  each  day 

To  live  more  near  to  thee, 
To  love  and  work  and  give, 

To  wait  and  watch  and  pray, 
Till  thou  shalt  call  me  home, 

Grace  Ingles  Frost. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


HOW  THE  FIRST  PIONEER  DAY  WAS 
CELEBRATED. 


BY  EDWARD  H.  ANDERSON. 


This  is  how  the  first  Pioneer  Day  was  celebrated  in  Salt  Lake 
Valley.*  To  understand  its  significance  let  us  first  give  the  inci- 
dent a  local  political  setting. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  in  March,  1849,  the  people  of  the 
Valley  had  pecitioned  Congress  to  give  them  an  organization  of  a 
territorial  government  for  the  settlers  of  the  great  basin;  and  had 
on  the  twelfth  of  the  same  month  elected  officers  for  such  a  gov- 
ernment, Brigham  Young  being  Governor.  Later  a  numerously 
signed  memorial,  asking  for  a  civil  government  organization,  was 
carried  to  Washington  by  Dr.  John  M.  Bernhisel,  who  also  carried 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  Senator  Stephen  A.  Douglas  of  Illinois, 
from  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  Willard  Richards. 

But  on  July  2  of  that  year,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pro- 
visional government  of  the  State  of  Deseret  held  its  first  session  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  This  body  resolved  to  go  one  step  further  and 
ask  for  statehood;  hence,  they  prepared  and  adopted  in  early  July, 
by  joint  vote  of  the  Assembly,  a  new  memorial  asking  Congress  to 
admit  Deseret  into  the  Union  as  a  state.  This  body  also  elected 
Almon  W.  Babbitt  a  delegate  to  Congress  from  the  new  state  of 
Deseret  to  convey  the  memorial  and  the  proposed  constitution  of 
the  state  to  Washington. 

Nothing  resulted  from  these  and  other  efforts  for  recognition 
until,  on  September  9,  1850,  President  Millard  Fillmore  signed 


*  An  account  of  the  occasion  is  found  in  Whitney's  History  of  Utah,  Vol.  I, 
pp.  410-12. 


694  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

the  act  of  Congress  creating  the  Territory  of  Utah.  But  the  denial 
of  the  prayer  for  statehood,  and  the  passage  of  this  act,  creating 
out  of  a  portion  of  the  provisional  State  of  Deseret  the  Territory 
of  Utah,  and  the  definite  news  of  the  action  of  Congress  did  not 
reach  the  Valley,  owing  to  a  lack  of  mail  facilities,  until  January 
of  the  following  year. 

In  the  meantime  the  Provisional  Government  of  Deseret  held 
sway  and  passed  many  important  measures,  which  were  subse- 
quently reenacted  into  laws  by  the  Territorial  Legislature. 

While  the  people  were  in  this  anticipating  state  of  mind  the  cele- 
bration of  Pioneer  day  was  first  observed,  July  24, 1849,  two  years 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Pioneers.  At  this  time  it  is  clear  that  the 
people  had  uppermost  in  their  minds  three  important  thoughts: 
Independence  Day  and  the  transfer  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake  Valley 
region  to  the  United  States  the  year  previous  by  the  treaty  of 
Guadaloupe  Hidalgo;  the  entrance  of  the  Pioneers  into  the  Valley 
in  1847;  and  the  hope  of  being  recognized  as  a  State  of  the  Union, 
a  part  of  the  United  States. 

The  celebration  was  held  in  the  historic  "Old  Bowery,"  a  tempo- 
rary building  located  on  the  Southeast  corner  of  Tabernacle  square 
and  built  of  brush  and  timber,  one  hundred  by  sixty  feet  in  size  and 
enlarged  for  the  occasion  by  a  vast  awning.     There  were  music, 
firing  of  musketry  and  artillery,  shouts  and  hurrahs,  the  unfolding 
and  hoisting  on  a  large  liberty  pole  of  an  immense  national  flag 
made  by  the  "Mormon"  women.    A  great  pageant  started  from  the 
residence  of  President  Young  at  nine  o'clock,  under  the  direction 
of  Lorenzo  Snow,  with  Horace  S.  Eldredge,  Marshal.    The  pageant 
consisted  in  part  of  a  brass  band;  twelve  bishops  bearing  the  ban- 
ners of  their  wards;  twenty-four  young  men,  more  particularly  de- 
scribed later  in  this  article  in  the  statement  of  Mr.  Ballantyne; 
twenty-four  young  ladies  in  white,  each  carrying  a  Bible  and  Book 
of  Mormon,  and  one,  a  banner  inscribed,  "Hail  to  our   Chief;'' 
Brigham  Young  and  his  company  of  nine  prominent  men;  again 
twelve  bishops;  twenty-four  "silver-greys"  lead  by  Isaac  Morley, 
one    carrying    the  Stars    and    Stripes  bearing    the    inscription, 
"Liberty  and  Truth."      The  procession  was  loudly  greeted  on  the 
way  to  the  Bowery,  where  Jedediah  M.  Grant  acted  as  master   of 
ceremonies.      Here  the  program  and  the  celebration  went  merrily 


HOW  THE  FIRST  PIONEER  DAY  WAS  CELEBRATED.     695 

on.  Among  the  exercises  was  this  one,  as  described  by  Richard 
Ballantyne,  one  of  the  twenty-four  young  men  who  took  part. 
Elder  Ballantyne,  by  the  way,  a  pioneer  of  1848,  in  December  of 
that  year  became  the  founder  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  Sunday 
Schools.  He  says  in  a  heretofore  unpublished  account  of  the  cele- 
bration and  concerning  his  part  in  the  program: 

"On  the  24th  of  July,  1849,  the  anniversay  of  the  arrival  of 
the  Pioneers,  and  the  first  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  our  Inde- 
pendence, in  the  great  valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  on  which 
occasion  this  territory  was  declared  an  independent  state,  entitled 
the  state  of  Deseret,  I  was  called  upon  to  present  to  President 
Brigham  Young  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States.  In  the  following  words  I  made  the 
presentation,  on  the  stand  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  multi- 
tude: 

President  Brigham  Young, 

Dear  Sir: — In  behalf  of  the  young  men  whom,  on  this  occasion,  I  have  the 
pleasure  to  represent,  and  in  behalf  of  the  Saints  in  these  valleys,  and  all  true  pa- 
triots, I  would  beg  most  respectfully  to  present  you  with  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence and  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  as  a  pledge  of  the  entire  con- 
fidence we  repose  in  you  as  our  future  Governor  and  defender  of  our  rights.  Pray- 
ing our  Heavenly  Father  that  he  may  long  preserve  your  life  to  act  in  this  capac- 
ity, I  would  beg  to  present  you  with  those  sacred  instruments. 

"This  was  followed  by  the  people  three  times  cheering,  'Long 
live  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Deseret.' 

"On  this  occasion  I  also  acted  as  standard  bearer  to  the  24 
young  men  who  were  draped  in  white,  with  white  coronets  on  their 
heads;  each  with  a  white  sash  on  his  left  shoulder,  tied  under  the 
right  arm,  and  carrying  a  sword  and  sheath  in  his  left  hand,  and 
a  copy  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  in  his  right.  These  twenty-four  young  men 
constituted  a  portion  of  President  Young's  escort.  The  motto 
of  our  standard  was,  'The  Lion  of  the  Lord.' " 

Then  followed  the  reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
by  Erastus  Snow;  the  "Mountain  Standard"  by  the  clerk;  con- 
gratulatory address  to  the  aged  twenty-four  silver  greys,  who  then 
sang  "Ode  on  Liberty;"  music  by  the  band;  following  which  the 
"Hosannah  Shout"  was  given,  just  as  forty  years  later  it  echoed 


696  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

over  the  same  ground  when  in  1892  the  cap-stone  of  the  temple 
was  laid.  A  feast  followed  of  which  several  thousand  people 
partook,  including  sixty  Indians,  and  hundreds  of  emigrants,  as 
guests,  who  were  passing  through  to  California. 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


THE  CLEARING  OF  THE  FIRMAMENT. 


(For  the  Improvement  Era.) 

Human  life,  a  muddy  current  springing  out  of  every  clime, 
Rushes  like  a  mighty  river,  to  the  precipice  of  time. 

Plunging  headlong  from  the  fountain  over  manv  a  desert  tract, 
Then  a  sudden  gulf  of  darkness  swallows  up  the  cataract. 

As  I  look  upon  the  picture — empty  creed  or  crowded  mart — 
All  my  spirit  shrinks  within  me,  and  my  soul  grows  sick  at  heart. 

For  the  clouds  are  full  of  prophecies,  the  fields  of  bitter  spleen, 
And  the  earth  is  wrapt  in  darkness,  and  the  world's  a  tangled  skein. 

And  I  shudder  as  I  linger,  looking  on  a  world  of  strife, 
Where  the  curse  of  evil  deepens  ransoming  with  human  life; 

Rising  to  a  mighty  climax,  over-reaching  all  the  years, 

Bringing  down  the  sword  of  vengeance  on  the  reeling  hemispheres; 

Many  an  ancient  tower  of  faith  falls  in  ruins  on  the  sand, 
In  the  storms  of  skepticism  sweeping  over  every  land. 

And  the  old  light  in  the  chapel  long  ago  has  flickered  out, 
In  the  world-wide  hurricane  of  malice,  sacrifice  and  doubt. 

But  a  dawn  has  burst  upon  us,   streaming  over  all  the  sky — 
On  the  cloud  a  silver  lining,  on  the  world  a  prophecy. 

Bend  your  eye  along  the  future,  far  as  human  eye  can  see, 
And  behold  the  growing  wonder  and  the  miracle  to  be. 

Let  a  glad  hosanna  ring  around  our  planet  long  and  loud, 
For  I  see  the  naked  orb  disrobing  in  a  thunder  cloud; 

Climbing  upward  to  the  zenith,  clothed  no  longer  in  a  mist, 
Every  field  a  crown  of  glory,  every  desert  water-kist, 


THE  CLEARING  OF  THE  FIRMAMENT.  697 

Comes  a  new  light  from  the  morning,  through  the  ancient  darkness  hurled, 
And  a  flood  of  truth  advances,  swaying  a  repentant  world; 

Crowding  all  the  night  before  it.     Error  of  the  womb  of  night 
Shrinketh  like  a  guilty  shadow,  paling  in  the  morning  light. 

And  the  world  so  long  in  bondage,  shaking  off  its  shackels,  slips 
From  the  shadow-like  Orion,  rolling  from  a  full  eclipse; 

Lifts  the  darkness  from  the  people;  pours  the  light  of  heaven  in; 
And  the  rainbow  of  repentance  streams  across  the  cloud  of  sin. 

Mountain  streams  of  living  water  flood  the  ancient  barrenness, 
Till  the  valley  of  the  world  becomes  a  sea  of  righteousness. 

Look!  the  black  war  cloud  has  vanished  from  the  battlefield  afar, 
Bearing  in  its  guilty  bosom  the  loud  thunderbolt  of  war. 

And  the  people  rise  triumphant  crying  "death  afield  is  dead!" 

And  with  swords  beat  into  ploughshares,  sow  the  battlefield  with  bread! 

List!  an  anthem  shakes  the  heavens:  "Right  has  triumphed  over  wrong;" 
With  a  chorus  of  the  nations  harmonizing  in  the  song. 

And  a  cry  of  freedom  rings  from  parliaments  no  longer  mute; 
For  the  peace-field  of  the  peoples  ripens  into  golden  fruit. 

Lo!  the  sun  of  love  advances  o'er  the  world  so  warm  and  bright, 
And  the  shrunken  form  of  malice  shrinks  away  into  the  night; 

And  the  worm  of  greed  outwitted  crawls  from  senate,  field  and  mart, 
For  the  life  blood  of  the  nations  gushes  from  one  common  heart. 

Zion  reigneth  o'er  the  harvests,  in  her  hair  a  sheaf  of  wheat, 
In  her  hand  a  righteous  sceptre,  either  ocean  at  her  feet.. 

On  her  head  a  crown  of  glory;  in  her  sacred  bosom  lies 
The  white  pearl  of  chastity;  the  light  of  heaven  in  her  eyes. 

Ah,  the  world  cannot  but  love  her,  chaste  and  gentle  as  a  dove, 
In  her  voice  the  note  of  peace,  the  nations  in  her  arms  of  love. 

Look!  our  orb,  a  shining  body,  through  new  heavens  bends  its  flight, 
Sweeping  past  the  range  of  vision,  buried  in  a  sea  of  light. 

Theo.  E.  Curtis. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


SELF-CONTROL.* 

BY   WILLIAM   GEORGE  JORDAN . 


XIV.—  FAILURE  AS  A  SUCCESS. 

It  ofttimes  requires  heroic  courage  to  face  fruitless  effort,  to 
take  up  the  broken  strands  of  a  life-work,  to  look  bravely  toward 
the  future,  and  proceed  undaunted  on  our  way.  But  what,  to  our 
eyes,  may  seem  hopeless  failure  is  often  but  the  dawning  of  a 
greater  success.  It  may  contain  in  its  debris  the  foundation  ma- 
terial of  a  mighty  purpose,  or  the  revelation  of  new  and  higher 
possibilities. 

Some  years  ago,  it  was  proposed  to  send  logs  from  Canada  to 
New  York,  by  a  new  method.  The  ingenious  plan  of  Mr.  Joggins 
was  to  bind  great  logs  together  by  cables  and  iron  girders  and  to 
tow  the  cargo  as  a  raft.  When  the  novel  craft  neared  New  York 
and  success  seemed  assured,  a  terrible  storm  arose.  In  the  fury 
of  the  tempest,  the  iron  bands  snapped  like  icicles  and  the  angry, 
waters  scattered  the  logs  far  and  wide.  The  chief  of  the  Hydro- 
graphic  Department  at  Washington  heard  of  the  failure  of  the  ex- 
periment, and  at  once  sent  word  to  shipmasters  the  world  over, 
urging  them  to  watch  carefully  for  these  logs  which  he  described; 
and  to  note  the  precise  location  of  each  in  latitude  and  longitude 
and  the  time  the  observation  was  made .  Hundreds  of  captains 
sailing  over  the  waters  of  the  earth,  noted  the  logs,  in  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean,  in  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  South  Seas — for  into  all 
waters  did  these  venturesome  ones  travel.  Hundreds  of  reports 
were  made,  covering  a  period  of  weeks  and  months.      These  ob- 


*From  Self-Control;  its  Kingship  and   Majesty.  Copyright  1889  and  1905 
by  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company. 


SELF-CONTROL.  699 

servations  were  then  carefully  collated,  systematized  and  tabu- 
lated, ard  discoveries  were  made  as  to  the  course  of  ocean  currents 
that  otherwise  would  have  been  impossible.  The  loss  of  the  Jog- 
gins  raft  was  not  a  real  failure,  for  it  led  to  one  of  the  great  dis- 
coveries in  modern  marine  geography  and  navigation. 

In  our  superior  knowledge  we  are  disposed  to  speak  in  a  pat- 
ronizing tone  of  the  follies  of  the  alchemists  of  old.  But  their 
failure  to  transmute  the  baser  metals  into  gold  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  chemistry.  They  did  not  succeed  in  what  they  attempted, 
but  they  brought  into  vogue  the  natural  processes  of  sublimation, 
filtration,  distillation,  and  crystallization;  they  invented  the  alem- 
bic, the  retort,  the  sand-bath,  the  water-bath  and  other  valuable 
instruments.  To  them  is  due  the  discovery  of  antimony,  sulphuric 
ether  and  phosphorus,  the  cupellation  of  gold  and  silver,  the  de- 
termining of  the  properties  of  saltpetre  and  its  use  in  gun-powder, 
and  the  discovery  of  the  distillation  of  essential  oils.  This  was 
the  success  of  failure,  a  wondrous  process  of  Nature  for  the  high- 
est growth, — a  mighty  lesson  of  comfort,  strength,  and  encourage- 
ment if  man  would  only  realize  and  accept  it. 

Many  of  our  failures  sweep  us  to  greater  heights  of  success, 
than  we  ever  hoped  for  in  our  wildest  dreams.  Life  is  a  succes- 
sive unfolding  of  success  from  failure.  In  discovering  America 
Columbus  failed  absolutely.  His  ingenious  reasoning  and  experi- 
ment led  him  to  believe  that  by  sailing  westward  he  would  reach 
India.  Every  redman  in  America  carries  in  his  name  "Indian," 
the  perpetuation  of  the  memory  of  the  failure  of  Columbus.  The 
Genoese  navigator  did  not  reach  India;  the  cargo -of  "souvenirs" 
he  took  back  to  Spain  to  show  to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  as  proofs 
of  his  success,  really  attested  his  failure.  But  the  discovery  of 
America  was  a  greater  success  than  was  any  finding  of  a  "back- 
door" to  India. 

When  David  Livingstone  had  supplemented  his  theological 
education  by  a  medical  course,  he  was  ready  to  enter  the  mis- 
sionary field.  For  over  three  years  he  had  studied  tirelessly,  with 
all  energies  concentrated  on  one  aim, — to  spread  the  gospel  in 
China.  The  hour  came  when  he  was  ready  to  start  out  with  noble 
enthusiasm  for  his  chosen  work,  to  consecrate  himself  and  his  life 
to  his  unselfish  ambition.      Then  word  came  from  China  that  the 


700  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

"opium  war"  would  make  it  folly  to  attempt  to  enter  the  country. 
Disappointment  and  failure  did  not  longdaunt  him;  he  offered  him- 
self as  missionary  to  Africa, — and  he  was  accepted.  His  glorious 
failure  to  reach  China  opened  a  whole  continent  to  light  and  truth. 
His  study  proved  an  ideal  preparation  for  his  labors  as  physician, 
explorer,  teacher  and  evangel  in  the  wilds  of  Africa. 

Business  reverses  and  the  failure  of  his  partner  threw  upon 
the  broad  shoulders  and  the  still  broader  honor  and  honesty  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott  a  burden  of  responsibility  that  forced  him  to  write. 
The  failure  spurred  him  to  almost  super- human  effort.  The  mas- 
terpieces of  Scotch  historic  fiction  that  have  thrilled,  entertained 
and  uplifted  millions  of  his  fellow-men  are  a  glorious  monument 
on  the  field  of  a  seeming  failure. 

When  Millet,  the  painter  of  the  "Angelus,"  worked  on  his  al- 
most divine  canvas,  in  which  the  very  air  seems  pulsing  with  the 
regenerating  essence  of  spiritual  reverence,  he  was  painting 
against  time,  he  was  antidoting  sorrow,  he  was  racing  against 
death.  His  brush  strokes,  put  on  in  the  early  morning  hours  be- 
fore going  to  his  menial  duties  as  a  railway  porter,  in  the  dusk 
like  that  perpetuated  on  his  canvas, — meant  strength,  food  and 
medicine  for  the  dying  wife  he  adored.  The  art  failure  that  cast 
him  into  the  depths  of  poverty  unified  with  marvellous  intensity 
all  the  finer  elements  of  his  nature.  This  rare  spiritual  unity,  this 
purging  of  all  the  dross  of  triviality  as  he  passed  through  the  fur- 
nace of  poverty,  trial,  and  sorrow  gave  eloquence  to  his  brush  and 
enabled  him  to  paint  as  never  before, — as  no  prosperity  would  have 
made  possible. 

Failure  is  often  the  turning-point,  the  pivot  of  circumstance 
that  swings  us  to  higher  levels.  It  may  not  be  financial  success, 
it  may  not  be  fame;  it  may  be  new  draughts  of  spiritual,  moral  or 
mental  inspiration  that  will  change  us  for  all  the  later  years  of 
our  life.  Life  is  not  really  what  comes  to  us,  but  what  we  get 
from  it. 

Whether  man  has  had  wealth  or  poverty,  failure  or  success, 
counts  for  little  when  it  is  past.  There  is  but  one  question  for 
him  to  answer,  to  face  boldly  and  honestly  as  an  individual  alone 
with  his  conscience  and  his  destiny: 

"How  will  I  let  that  poverty  or  wealth  affect  me?     If  that 


SELF-CONTROL.  701 

trial  or  deprivation  has  left  me  better,  truer,  nobler,  then, — 
poverty  has  been  riches,  failure  has  been  a  success.  If  wealth  has 
come  to  me  and  has  made  me  vain,  arrogant,  contemptuous,  un- 
charitable, cynical,  closing  from  me  all  the  tenderness  of  life,  all 
the  channels  of  higher  development,  of  possible  good  to  my  fellow- 
man,  making  me  the  mere  custodian  of  a  money-bag,  then, — 
wealth  has  lied  to  me,  it  has  been  failure,  not  success;  it  has  not 
been  riches,  it  has  been  dark,  treacherous  poverty  that  stole  from 
me  even  Myself."  All  things  become  for  us  then  what  we  take 
from  them. 

Failure  is  one  of  God's  educators.  It  is  experience  leading 
man  to  higher  things;  it  is  the  revelation  of  a  way,  a  path,  hither- 
to unknown  to  us.  The  best  men  in  the  world,  those  who  have 
made  the  greatest  real  successes  look  back  with  serene  happiness 
on  their  failures.  The  turning  of  the  face  of  Time  shows  all  things 
in  a  wondrously  illuminated  and  satisfying  perspective. 

Many  a  man  is  thankful  today  that  some  petty  success  for 
which  he  once  struggled,  melted  into  thin  air  as  his  hand  sought 
to  clutch  it.  Failure  is  often  the  rock-bottom  foundation  of  real 
success.  If  man,  in  a  few  instances  of  his  life  can  say,  "Those 
failures  were  the  best  things  in  the  world  that  could  have  happened 
to  me,"  should  he  not  face  new  failures  with  undaunted  courage 
and  trust  that  the  miraculous  ministry  of  Nature  may  transform 
these  new  stumbling-blocks  into  new  stepping-stones? 

Our  highest  hopes  are  often  destroyed  to  prepare  us  for  better 
things.  The  failure  of  the  caterpillar  is  the  birth  of  the  butterfly; 
the  passing  of  the  bud  is  the  becoming  of  the  rose;  the  death  or 
destruction  of  the  seed  is  the  prelude  to  its  resurrection  as  wheat. 
It  is  at  night,  in  the  darkest  hours,  those  preceding  dawn,  that 
plants  grow  best,  that  they  must  increase  in  size.  May  this  not 
be  one  of  Nature's  gentle  showings  to  man  of  the  times  when  he 
grows  best,  of  the  darkness  of  failure  that  is  evolving  into  the 
sunlight  of  success.  Let  us  fear  only  the  failure  of  not  living  the 
right  as  we  see  it,  leaving  the  results  to  the  guardianship  of  the 
Infinite. 

If  we  think  of  any  supreme  moment  of  our  lives,  any  great 
success,  any  one  who  is  dear  to  us,  and  then  consider  how  we 
reached  that  moment,  that  success,  that  friend,  we  will  be  sur- 


702  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

prised  and  strengthened  by  the  revelation.  As  we  trace  each  one 
back,  step  by  step,  through  the  genealogy  of  circumstances,  we 
will  see  how  logical  has  been  the  course  of  our  joy  and  success, 
from  sorrow  and  failure,  and  that  what  gives  us  most  happiness 
today  is  inextricably  connected  with  what  once  caused  us  sorrow. 
Many  of  the  rivers  of  our  greatest  prosperity  and  growth  have  had 
their  source  and  their  trickling  increase  into  volume  among  the 
dark,  gloomy  recesses  of  our  failure. 

There  is  no  honest  and  true  work,  carried  along  with  constant 
and  sincere  purpose,  that  ever  really  fails.  If  it  sometime  seem 
to  be  wasted  effort,  it  will  prove  to  us  a  new  lesson  of  "how"  to 
walk;  the  secret  of  our  failures  will  prove  to  us  the  inspiration  of 
possible  successes.  Man  living  with  the  highest  aims,  ever  as  best 
he  can,  in  continuous  harmony  with  them,  is  a  success,  no  matter 
what  statistics  of  failure  a  near-sighted  and  half-blind  world  of 
critics  and  commentators  may  lay  at  his  door. 

High  ideals,  noble  efforts  will  make  seeming  failures  but 
trifles,  they  need  not  dishearten  us;  they  should  prove  sources  of 
new  strength.  The  rocky  way  may  prove  safer  than  the  slippery 
path  of  smoothness.  Birds  cannot  fly  best  with  the  wind  but 
against  it;  ships  do  not  progress  in  calm,  when  the  sails  flap  idly 
against  the  unstrained  masts. 

The  alchemy  of  Nature,  superior  to  that  of  the  Paracelsians 
constantly  transmutes  the  baser  metals  of  failure  into  the  later 
pure  gold  of  higher  success,  if  the  mind  of  the  worker  be  kept 
true,  constant  and  untiring  in  the  service,  and  he  have  that 
sublime  courage  that  defies  fate  to  its  worst  while  he  does  his 
best. 

[to  be  continued.] 


DETAILS. 


Dreams,  after  all,  are  the  heritage  of  ten,  where  ability  to  master  homely  de- 
tails is  the  talent  of  one. 

But  this  talent  for  detail  about  which  we  hear  so  much,  is  one  of  the  few 
"talents"  that  may  be  acquired.  I  have  no  patience  with  one  who  fails  because 
he  has  not  this  talent. 


HERBERT   MELBOURNE. 

BY  EDWIN  F.  PARRY. 


VIII. 


At  this  point  in  the  discussion  the  minister  indicated  by  his 
actions  that  he  wished  to  conclude  the  interview,  and  hinted  as 
much  by  saying  he  would  be  pleased  to  talk  to  the  young  "Mor- 
mon" missionary  again  sometime  in  the  future.  Herbert  Mel- 
bourne was  not  quite  ready  to  end  the  discussion.  He  wanted  to 
say  a  few  words  more;  and  this  is  about  the  substance  of  what  he 
said: 

"My  reverend  friend,  I  have  listened  attentively  to  what  you 
have  said  respecting  the  'Mormon'  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures . 
Will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  let  me  offer  a  few  remarks  in  ex- 
planation of  our  position?" 

"Most  certainly,  most  certainly,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"I  do  not  desire  to  give  any  offense,  and  what  I  shall  say  will 
be  with  the  kindliest  of  feelings  and  the  best  of  motives.  I  take 
it  for  granted  that  you  as  a  man  of  culture  are  somewhat  familiar 
with  the  history  of  the  science  of  astronomy.  The  astronomy  of 
olden  time  taught  that  the  earth  was  stationary,  and  that  the  sun, 
moon  and  stars  revolved  about  it.  This  idea  was  held,  with  slight 
variations,  for  thousands  of  years.  But  as  long  as  it  was  accepted 
very  little  advancement  in  the  science  was  made.  Four  hundred 
years  ago  a  Dutch  astronomer,  Copernicus,  put  forth  the  theory 
that  the  sun  was  the  center  of  the  planetary  system  "and  that  the 
earth  and  the  other  planets  revolved  around  that  great  luminary . 
This  was  a  reversal  of  the  old  theory;  and  it  has  been  demonstrated 
to  be  correct.  Since  its  acceptance  the  science  of  astronomy  has 
made  wonderful  advancement. 


704  1MPRO  VEMENT  ERA . 

"Now,  may  it  not  be  possible  that  the  old  method  of  inter- 
preting the  scriptures,  which  you  and  the  clergy  generally  adhere 
to,  is  faulty?  And  let  me  ask  you  kindly  to  lay  it  aside,  tempo- 
rarily, at  least,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  little  investigation  in 
search  of  the  truth.  With  all  due  respect  to  you  as  a  Christian 
scholar,  I  want  to  tell  you  that  your  theology  needs  revising.  You, 
of  course,  are  not  to  blame  for  its  errors,  neither  is  your  church, 
for  it  was  formulated  and  adopted  long  before  your  church  came 
into  existence.  You  are  aware  that  it  has  been  handed  down  from 
the  dark  ages.  True,  it  has  not  as  great  antiquity  as  the  old 
astronomy,  but  it  has  not  been  improved  upon  much  more,  if  any, 
than  had  the  latter  before  the  days  of  Copernicus.  So  I  would 
suggest  you  discard  it  and  give  consideration  to  'Mormon'  the- 
ology. Let  me  ask  you  to  accept  our  doctrine  of  Godhood.  'Mor- 
monism'  teaches  that  God  the  Father  has  a  material  body  of  flesh 
and  bone;  that  Jesus  Christ  has  a  similar  body;  but  the  Holy  Ghost 
is  a  spiritual  being,  without  a  body  of  flesh  and  bone.  These  three 
separate  beings  compose  the  Godhead — the  ruling  power  of  the 
universe.  Where  the  Scriptures  speak  of  these  three  as  being 
one  they  have  reference  to  their  unity — they  are  one  in  purpose — 
working  in  harmony — and  not  one  in  person. 

'  'Mormonism'  teaches  that  God  is  the  father  of  the  human 
race — that  mankind  are  his  children,  and  that  they  are  destined 
to  become  like  him.  Man's  recognition  of  this  grand  truth  in- 
spires within  him  loftier  hopes,  and  affords  an  incentive  to  greater 
effort:  for  knowing  what  possibilities  are  within  his  reach,  he  will 
strive  the  harder  to  obtain  them. 

"If  you  will  accept  these  fundamental  truths  as  a  basis  of 
your  theology  you  will  find  that  they  are  in  harmony  with  the 
teachings  of  your  Bible,  as  well  as  with  science  and  common  sense, 
for  revealed  truths  always  agree  with  discovered  truths. 

'  'Mormonism'  teaches  that  men  will  be  'punished  for  their 
own  sins,  and  not  for  Adam's  transgression;'  and  that  every  one 
will  be  rewarded  according  to  his  works.  It  teaches  that,  'through 
the  atonement  of  Christ,  all  mankind  may  be  saved,  by  obedience 
to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel.'  Note  this,  that  salva- 
tion is  within  the  reach  of  all  mankind, — not  only  those  who  in 
life  accept  its  teachings,  but  those  who  have  died  without  a  knowl- 


HERBERT  MELBOURNE.  705 

edge  of  the  gospel.  It  embraces  the  heathen  nations — those  who 
know  not  God — all  mankind  who  have  lived  or  may  yet  live  upon 
the  earth  Every  creature  will  have  the  opportunity  of  receiving 
or  rejecting  the  message  of  salvation.  And  little  children,  who, 
by  some  of  your  creeds,  are  consigned  to  condemnation  if  they  die 
without  baptism,  will  all  be  saved  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

"You  will  find  that  'Mormonism'  is  abroad  and  liberal  system 
and  is  worthy  of  the  source  from  which  it  originated;  for,  let  me 
tell  you,  that  it  is  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  revealed  to  earth 
anew  from  heaven.  It  embraces  all  truth.  One  of  its  converts 
remarked  to  me  that  he  had  been  a  member  of  several  Christian 
denominations  before  he  accepted  'Mormonism,'  yet  in  accepting 
'Mormonism'  he  found  that  he  had  no  occasion  to  renounce  any 
truth  he  had  found  in  any  other  religion. 

"Before  taking  my  departure  I  desire  to  bear  witness  to  you 
that  'Mormonism'  has  a  solemn  message  for  all  mankind.  It  is  a 
system  of  religion  possessing  the  power  to  save  the  human  race. 
It  not  only  teaches  man  in  theory  the  true  way  of  life,  but  it  pos- 
sesses divine  authority  to  administer  unto  him  every  ordinance  es- 
sential to  salvation  and  exaltation  in  God's  kingdom. 

"'Mormonism'  is  the  gospel  of  Christ  restored  to  earth  in 
fulfilment  of  the  Scriptures  which  clearly  prove  that  there  should 
be  a  restoration  in  the  last  days,  prior  to  the  second  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  will  not  trespass  upon  your  time  at 
present  to  point  out  these  scriptural  evidences,  but  if  you  will 
kindly  accept  these  tracts  which  I  desire  to  leave  with  you,  and 
read  them  carefully,  I  feel  satisfied  they  will  assist  you  in  getting 
at  the  truth  of  this  most  important  subject." 

"You  speak  as  one  having  authority,  and  not  as  the  Scribes," 
was  the  minister's  comment  on  Herbert's  remarks.  He  promised 
to  read  the  tracts,  and  also  the  Book  of  Mormon  which  the  young 
missionary  loaned  him.  He  shook  hands  in  a  friendly  manner  with 
his  visitor  as  the  latter  took  his  departure;  and  for  once  Herbert 
Melbourne  met  a  sectarian  minister  who  did  not  lose  his  temper  or 
become  offended  while  discussing  religion. 

On  returning  to  his  lodgings  that  afternoon  our  missionary 
found  a  letter  from  Utah.  It  was  written  by  his  late  companion, 
Elder  Davis.      Herbert  recognized  the  handwriting.     "Now,"  he 


706  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

said  to  himself,  "perhaps  I'll  get  a  solution  of  the  strange  con- 
dition of  affairs  at  home,"  as  he  nervously  tore  open  the  envelope. 
"If  Davis  has  won  Alice's  heart,  he  will  be  frank  enough  to  tell 
me,"  he  added.  This  was  the  first  letter  his  companion  had  written 
him  since  he  left  England.  It  was  a  long  letter.  Herbert  read 
page  after  page  of  it,  in  which  was  recounted  incidents  of  the 
journey  to  Zion.  It  told  also  of  his  doings  and  observations  after 
arriving  home,  without  any  explanation  of  the  strange  condition 
of  affairs  existing  there.  But  at  the  end  of  the  letter  were  a  few 
words  that  made  all  clear  to  him,  and  Herbert  burst  out  laughing. 
Then  he  thought  how  foolish  he  had  been  to  become  disturbed 
and  wrought  up  in  his  mind  over  imaginary  conditions,  and  men- 
tally he  rebuked  himself  for  being  so  hasty  in  his  conclusions. 

Yes,  Elder  Davis  was  in  love  with,  and  paying  attentions  to, 
Miss  Williams!  He  was . seriously  smitten,  according  to  his  own 
acknowledgment.  But  this  admission  did  not  alarm  Herbert  now  in 
the  least,  for  the  young  lady  that  had  captured  Elder  Davis'  heart 
was  Miss  Hazel  Williams,  Alice's  sister! 

"Ha,  ha!"  laughed  Herbert  again,  slapping  his  knee  as  he 
re-read  the  latter  part  of  the  letter  containing  the  innocent  con- 
fession. "That  pleases  me,"  he  said  to  himself.  "Davis  is  a  fine 
chap,  and  if  he  wins  Hazel  he's  a  fortunate  fellow — next  to  myself, 
the  most  fortunate  of  all  fellows!" 

The  young  missionary's  mind  was  now  at  rest  concerning  af- 
fairs at  home;  and  feeling  happier  than  ever  he  continued  to  labor 
diligently  in  the  good  cause. 


It  was  now  two  and  a  half  years  since  Herbert  Melbourne  left 
his  native  land.  How  rapidly  the  time  had  sped!  To  him  it  seemed 
no  more  than  that  number  of  months.  He  had  been  so  busily  occupied 
and  so  interested  in  his  labors  that  the  passing  of  the  months  and 
years  had  scarely  been  noted.  The  receipt  of  an  honorable  release 
from  the  president  of  the  mission  caused  him  to  review  his  mis- 
sionary career,  and  like  thousands  of  missionaries  had  done  before 
nim,  he  expressed  his  unqualified  conviction  that  the  time  he  had 
spent  in  the  mission  field  was  the  happiest  period  of  his  life.  He 
had  often  heard  that  same  statement  made  by  returned  mission- 


HERBERT  MELBOURNE.  707 

aries,  but  could  scarcely  believe  their  words;  not  until  he  had  gone 
through  the  same  experience  did  he  become  fully  convinced. 

Now  he  had  been  tendered  a  release,  he  scarcely  knew  whether 
he  was  ready  to  accept  it.  He  was  more  than  ever  interested  in 
his  labors.  He  loved  the  work,  he  loved  the  people;  and  the  peo- 
ple loved  him — that  is  the  Saints,  his  fellow-missionaries,  and  the 
many  friends  he  had  made.  His  affection  for  dear  ones  at  home 
was  not  lessened  in  the  least  degree.  They  were  more  endeared 
to  him  than  ever,  so  his  love  was  not  transfered  from  the  old  to  the 
new  friends.  The  fact  was  his  love  had  greatly  increased.  Never 
before  did  he  realize  that  he  was  capable  of  entertaining  so  much 
affection  for  mankind.  His  heart  went  out  to  everybody.  He 
could  love  his  enemies,  and  do  good  to  those  who  despitefully  used 
him.      No  hatred  was  found  in  his  heart,  and  he  was  truly  happy. 

He  was  pleased  that  his  mission  had  been  acceptable  to  his 
president,  and  that  he  was  worthy  of  an  honorable  release.  While 
to  him  the  time  had  passed  rapidly  and  pleasantly,  he  remembered 
his  aged  mother  at  home,  who  no  doubt  was  counting  the  weeks 
and  days,  and  fondly  hoping  that  she  might  be  permitted  to  live  to 
once  more  see  her  far-off  son.  For  her  sake,  he  felt  it  a  duty  to 
return  home,  now  that  he  was  released.  Besides  there  was  another 
powerful  attraction  to  draw  him  homeward.  That  was  Alice  Wil- 
liams.    She,  too,  was  patiently  and  lovingly  awaiting  his  return. 

Herbert  decided  to  spend  a  short  time  in  sight-seeing  before 

leaving;  then  he  would  come  back  and  bid  his  friends  farewell. 

Some  few  of  the  Saints  would  go  with  him,   having  prepared  to 

emigrate  to  Zion.     Among  them  was  the  young  lady,  whose  brutal 

father  had  driven  her  from  home.    She  had  saved  money  sufficient 

to  pay  her  emigration,  and  had  received  promise  of  a  home  with 

a  family  that  had  gone  to  Utah  a  few  years  before .      More  than 

that,  she  had  received  a  promise  of  marriage  from  a  worthy  young 

man — a  missionary  who  had  made  her  acquaintance  while  he  was 

in  the  field  some  two  years  before. 

[to  be  continued] 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


ST.  PAUL'S  COMPANIONS  IN  ROME. 

BY  COL.  R.  M.  BRYCE-THOMAS. 


IX. — TYCHICUS. 

We  hear  of  Tychicus  first  in  A.  D.  59,  at  Ephesus,  at  the  time 
that  St.  Paul  left  for  Macedonia  after  the  great  tumult  raised  by 
the  silversmith  Demetrius  regarding  the  worship  of  the  goddess 
Diana  (Acts  19:  23  et  seq.,  and  Acts  20:  14).  He  was  a  disciple 
from  Ephesus,  and  had  grown  into  the  affections  of  the  great 
Apostle,  who  a  few  years  later  called  him  "a  beloved  brother,  and 
a  faithful  minister  and  fellow-servant  in  the  Lord"  (Col.  4:7).  He 
remained  a  firm  friend  of  St.  Paul  up  to  the  close  of  his  life. 
Tychicus  is  a  Greek  word  meaning  '  'fortunate,"  and  has  about  the 
same  meaning  as  the  Hebrew  word  "Gad,"  or  the  Latin  words 
"Felix"  or  "Fortunatus."  Dr.  Plumptre  says  that  the  name  was 
very  common  among  slaves  and  freedmen,  and  he  refers  to  it  as 
having  been  found  on  a  Christian  inscription  discovered  in  the 
catacombs  of  Priscilla.  That  inscription  is  now  in  the  Lateran 
Museum  in  Rome.  He  also  refers  to  the  name  having  been  found 
on  a  non-Christian  inscription  giving  the  names  of  the  household 
of  the  Emperor  Claudius,  now  in  the  Vatican  Museum,  as  belong- 
ing to  an  architect.  Such  callings  were  frequently  hereditary,  and 
it  is  said  that  architects  found  their  best  openings  at  that  time  at 
Ephesus.  For  this  reason  the  idea  had  become  prevalent  that 
Tychicus  was  an  architect  by  profession. 

He  seems  to  have  been  employed  by  St.  Paul  as  one  of  his 
emissaries  or  messengers  to  the  churches  to  carry  news  to  them 
of  his  sufferings,  of  his  successes,  of  the  oppositions  he  had  to  en- 
counter, and  of  his  health  and  general  treatment  in  Rome;  and  we 


ST.  PAUL'S  COMPANIONS  IN  ROME.  709 

find  that  in  the  year  A.  D.  64,  five  years  after  the  time  that  Tychi- 
cus and  others  had  left  Ephesus  in  Paul's  company  for  Macedonia, 
the  Apostle  despatched  him  to  both  Ephesus  and  Colosse  with  his 
epistles  which  he  had  written  to  the  churches  established  at  those 
places  (Eph.  6:  21  and  Col.  4:7).  This  was  near  the  close  of  St. 
Paul's  first  Roman  imprisonment.  Tychicus  must  have  either  re- 
turned to  the  Apostle  to  Rome  after  delivering  the  letters,  or  else 
he  must  have  met  him  after  the  latter's  release  from  his  imprison- 
ment, because  we  find  that  when  Paul  wrote  to  Titus  the  Bishop 
of  Crete  in  the  following  year  (A.  D.  65),  he  proposed  to  send 
Artemas  or  Tychicus  to  him  as  his  messenger,  showing  that  the 
latter, whom  he  had  dispatched  to  Ephesus  and  Colosse  in  A.D.  64> 
must  have  since  then  joined  him  again  .  .  .  A  year  still  later  on, 
namely  A.D.  66,  St. Paul,  during  his  second  imprisonment,  in  writ- 
ing to  his  son  in  the  faith,  Timothy,  tells  him  that  he  had  no  one 
with  him  except  Luke,  and  that  he  had  sent  Tychicus  away  to 
Ephesus.  This  must  have  been  a  second  message  to  Ephesus,  per- 
haps another  epistle  which  the  Apostle  entrusted  to  Tychicus  to 
deliver,  for  the  latter  was  evidently  with  him  in  A.D.  65  as  shown 
above  (II  Tim.  4:  12).  Very  little  is  known  about  this  devoted 
companion  of  St.  Paul  except  that  he  was  an  Asiatic  (Acts  20:  4), 
and  that  he  was  first  heard  of  in  connection  with  the  Apostle  at 
Ephesus,  so  that  in  all  probability  he  was  one  of  that  great 
preacher's  Ephesian  converts. 

According  to  tradition  Tychicus  became  eventually  bishop  of 
Chalcedon,  in  Bythinia,  or  Neapolis  in  Cyprus. 

Pas  de  Calais,  France. 

[to  be  continued  .] 


TRIVIALITY. 


"In  youth  triviality  seems  only  ludicrous  and  insignificant, but  it  slowly  envel- 
ops its  victim  in  its  grayish  mist,  penetrates  his  brain,  pollutes  his  blood  like  a 
poison  or  the  fumes  of  charcoal,  and  the  man  soon  becomes  like  an  old  signboard 
eaten  through  and  through  with  rust.  It  looks  as  if  something  was  painted  upon 
it  once  upon  a  time,  bat  now  it  is  impossible  to  distinguish  what  it  was." 


OPPORTUNITY  AND  HAPPINESS. 

BY  J.  C.  HOGENSON,  OF  THE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE. 


According  to  an  old  East  Indian  legend,  "There  was  once  a 
beautiful  lady  upon  whom  one  of  the  good  genii  wished  to  bestow 
a  blessing.  He  led  her  to  the  edge  of  a  large  field  of  corn,  where 
he  said  to  her:  'Daughter,  in  the  field  before  us  the  ears  of  corn 
in  the  hands  of  those  who  pluck  them  in  faith  shall  have  wonderful 
virtues,  and  the  virtues  shall  be  in  proportion  to  the  size  and 
beauty  of  the  ear  gathered.  Thou  shalt  pass  through  the  field 
once  and  pluck  one  ear.  It  must  be  taken  as  thou  goest  forward, 
and  thou  shalt  not  stop  in  thy  path,  nor  shalt  thou  retrace  a  single 
step  in  quest  of  thine  object.  Select  an  ear  of  corn  full  and  fair, 
and  according  to  its  size  and  beauty  shall  be  its  value  to  thee  as  a 
talisman.' 

"The  maiden  thanked  the  good  spirit,  and  set  out  upon  her 
quest.  As  she  advanced  she  saw  many  ears  of  corn — large,  ripe 
and  beautiful,  such  as  calm  judgment  might  have  told  her  would 
possess  virtue  enough;  but  in  her  eagerness  to  grasp  the  very 
best,  she  left  these  fair  ears  behind,  hoping  that  she  might  find 
one  still  larger  and  fairer.  At  length,  as  the  day  was  closing,  she 
reached  a  part  of  the  field  where  the  stalks  were  thinner  and 
shorter,  and  the  ears  were  small  an-}  shriveled.  She  now  regretted 
the  grand  ears  she  had  left  behind,  and  disdained  to  pick  from  the 
poor  ears  around  her,  for  here  she  found  not  an  ear  that  bore  per- 
fect grain.  She  went  on,  but,  Alas!  only  to  find  the  stalks  more 
and  more  feeble  and  blighted,  until  in  the  end,  as  night  was  com- 
ing on,  she  found  herself  at  the  end  of  the  field  without  having 
plucked  an  ear  of  any  kind." 

This  legend  has  a  grand  lesson  for  every  one.      It  points  out 


OPPORTUNITY  AND  HAPPINESS.  711 

clearly  the  necessity  of  grasping  every  opportunity  as  it  comes  to 
us.  We  cannot  turn  back  in  life's  pathway,  therefore  an  oppor- 
tunity once  reglected  will  never  come  to  us  again.  Are  we  as 
young  people  grasping  our  opportunities?  Now  is  the  time  in  life 
when  they  are  of  the  most  value  to  us,  because  it  is  now  that  we 
build  the  foundation  upon  which  we  are  to  build  our  future  suc- 
cesses or  failures.  Let  us  not  then  neglect  our  duties  and  oppor- 
tunities of  today,  because  if  we  do  we  may  find  tomorrow's  poor 
and  blighted.  If  we  develop  today  as  we  should  do  then  joy  and 
happiness  will  be  ours.  A  clear  conscience,  a  contented  mind,  a 
cheerful  disposition,  these  follow  in  the  wake  of  fulfiled  oppor- 
tunities. Happiness  never  comes  through  greed  and  selfishly  ac- 
quiring possession,  but  it  comes  always  in  transmitting  what  we 
possess  to  others;  that  they  also  may  know  and  share  with  us  our 
happiness.  Happiness  never  comes  through  idleness,  but  through 
hard  work'  and  by  doing  our  duties  day  by  day  as  they  come  to  us 
to  the  very  best  of  our  ability.  Be  contented  with  your  own,  do 
not  envy  others  what  they  possess,  or  of  their  happiness,  and  so 
spend  your  time  in  vain  regret;  but  take  off  your  coat  and  get  to 
work  and  do  things  and  you  will  be  surprised  how  soon  the  hap- 
piness and  opportunities  which  formerly  only  others  had  will  now 
also  come  to  you. 

From  the  little  poem  which  follows  you  will  note  that  happi- 
ness lies  in  taking  advantage  of  opportunities,  doing  your  full  duty 
and  work : 

"the  two  seekers." 

Two  men  went  seeking  happiness — 

One  walked  the  roadside  way 
And  looked  with  all  his  longing  eyes 

Within  each  garden  gay . 
Where'er  he  saw  it  growing 

He  tried  to  grasp  its  flower; 
But  always  in  his  clutching  hand, 

It  died  before  an  hour; 
Till,  angry  and  dispairingly, 

In  bitterness  he  cried: 
"Others  are  given  happiness, 

To  me  it  is  denied." 


712  1MPR0VEMEN1  ERA. 

The  other  one  looked  around  him — 

"Since  happiness  is  found 
In  other  people's  gardens 

Why  not  within  my  grounds?" 
He  dug  and  plowed  and  planted, 

And  with  much  careful  toil 
Where  it  was  rough  and  stony, 

Enriched  each  inch  of  soil, 
Until  with  crowded  blossoms 

The  little  spot  o'erran — 
"How  simple  'tis,"  the  owner  cried, 

"To  be  a  happy  man!" — From  Elders1  Journal. 

Logan,  Utah. 


DON'T  COMPLAIN. 
{For  the  Improvement  Era.) 


If  the  way  be  rough  or  rugged,  don't  complain. 
Think  how  other  feet  have  struggled  heights  to  gain. 
Other  hearts  have  ached  and  bled; 
Other  lips  for  help  have  pled; 
Turn  not  back  but  look  a  head, 
Don't  complain. 

If  the  day  with  mists  is  dreary,  don't  complain; 
Azure  skies  the  brighter  glisten,  after  rain. 
Oft  with  sigh  and  sob  and  tear, 
Wait  we  through  the  night  so  drear, 
For  the  day-dawn  bright  and  clear: 
Don't  complain. 

Or  should  night-fall  find  you  weary,  don't  complain; 
Some  bright  angel  lingers  near  and  lisps  your  name. 
Every  grief  makes  heaven  dearer, 
Every  evening  brings  you  nearer 
To  a  vision  fairer,  clearer: 

Don't  complain. 
Paradise,  Utah. 

Sarah  E.  Mitton 


NAUVOO  TODAY. 

BY  PROFESSOR    JOHN   ZIMMERMAN    BROWN,    OF    THE    UNIVERSITY   OF 

UTAH. 


III. 

Nauvoo  stands  today  just  as  it  did  in  the^early  forties  when 
the  ''Mormons"  laid  it  out  in  squares,  the  streets  running  at  right 

angles  to  each  other,  ac- 
cording to  the  points  of 
the  compass.  The  blue- 
print copy  of  the  city  sur- 
vey^which  I  was  fortunate 
Jn  securing  gives'the  orig- 
inal names  of  the  streets, 
which  have  remained  un- 
changed, as  follows:  com. 
mencing  at  the  river  bend 
on  the  south  and  proceed- 
ing northward  to  the  north 
bend,  we  have:  Lumber, 
Water,  Sidney,  Parley, 
Kimball,  Munson,  Hotch- 
kiss,  White,  Ripley,  Mul- 
holland,  Knight,  Young, 
Cutler,  Hibbard,  Joseph, 
Hyrum,  Carlos,  Samuel, 
streets.  The  streets  as  you 
go  eastward  are:  Hills, 
One  of  the  crescent  moonstones  taken  Marion  Locust  Cherry 
from  the    Temple.     The  only  one   left   in  Nl   '  ,  ,  _  ,. 

Nauvoo.  Brattle,  Taylor  and  Robin- 


■1 1 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


son.  From  the  river  bank  on  the  west,  Bain,  Granger,  Main,  Car- 
lin,  Partridge,  Durphey,  Wells,  Woodruff,  Page,  P.arnett,  Robin- 
son, Green  and  Warsaw.  Other  additions  were  plotted,  but  they 
were  not  opened. 

The  temple  square  is  located  in  the  center  of  the  city,  lying  in 
what  is  known  as  the  WelW  Addition,  with  Knight  street  on  the 
north,  Woodruff  to  the  east,  Wells  street  at  the  west,  and   Mul- 

holland  on  the  south.  The 
site  occupied  the  summit 
of  the  hill, overlooking  the 
Mississippi  river,  the  land- 
scape on  the  Iowa  side 
and  all  the  surrounding 
country.  It  was  pur- 
chased by  the  Church  from 
Daniel  H.  Wells  in  1840. 
The  block  is  now 
fairly  well  covered  with 
dwellings  and  out  build- 
ings, the  largest  one, 
standing  on  the  southwest 
corner,  is  built  of  stones 
taken  from  the  walls  of 
the  temple.  All  that  is 
now  left  of  the  sacred 
edifice  is  the  old  well 
that  supplied  water  for 
the  baptismal  font.  Not  a  single  stone  of  the  building  is  left  in 
place.  This  well,  which  was  in  the  east  end  of  the  basement,  is 
now  equipped  with  a  pump  and  is  used  for  culinary  purposes. 

The  plans  for  this  temple  were  drawn  by  William  Weeks;  the 
corner  stones  were  laid  April  6,  1841,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith;  and  on  November  8,  1841,  he  dedicated 
the  baptismal  font.  In  spite  of  their  poverty  the  Saints  contin- 
ued the  work  of  building  until  the  martyrdom  three  years  later, 
at  which  time  the  walls  were  almost  up  to  the  square.  The  histo- 
rian says  that  on  the  fatal  journey  to  Carthage,  the  Prophet  Joseph 
paused  on  Muiholland  Street,  and  looked  with  admiration  upon  the 


The  Nauvoo  Temple. 


NAUVOO  TODAY. 


715 


temple  and  the  city,  making  the  remark,  "This  is  the  loveliest 
place  and  the  best  people  under  the  heavens;  little  do  they  know 
the  trials  that  await  them." 

During  the  excitement  that  followed,  the  work  on  the  tem- 
ple was  suspended  for  a  little  while.  Later  it  was  renewed  and 
pushed  with  vigor,  but  at  great  sacrifice,  many  of  the  workmen 
having  nothing  to  eat  but  Johnny  cake  and  bacon.  The  cap  stone 
was  laid  May  24,  1845,  and  the  first  meetings  were  held  during 
the  following  October  conference,  at  which  there  were  five  thou- 
sand people  in  attendance. 

On  the  evening  of  April  30,  1846,  the  building  was  privately 


One  of  the  Indian  mounds  along  the  river  north  of   Nauvoo. 

dedicated  by  Joseph  Young,  of  the  first  council  of  Seventy.  Next 
day,  May  1,  it  was  publicly  dedicated  by  Orson  Hyde,  of  the 
council  of  Apostles. 

The  temple  was  built  of  gray  limestone  taken  from  quarries 
along  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  river.  It  was  128  feet  long,  88 
feet  wide,  65  feet  from  the  floor  to  the  roof,  and  165  feet  to  the 
top  of  the  tower  at  the  west  end. 

It  had  thirty  hewn  pilasters,  costing  $3,000  each,  six  at 
each  end,  and  nine  on  each  side.  At  the  base  of  each  was  a  mas- 
sive crescent  moon.     At  the  summit,  fifty  feet  from  the  ground, 


7i»; 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


was  a  sun  with  a  human  face,  two  and  a  half  feet  broad,  and  orna- 
mented   with   rays   of  light;    above   this  were   two   hands   hold 

ing  trumpets.  All 
these  were  artistic- 
ally carved,  in  the 
stone.  The  whole 
cost  of  the  building 
was  one  million  dol- 
lars. 

Of  these   sixty 
large,      ornamented 
stones  only  one  re- 
mains in  Nauvoo.   It 
is  one   of  the   half- 
and    stands 
on  the  lawn  at  the 
on    the     campus     at 
friends     in- 


A   farm  near  the  Mississippi  river,  Nauvoo,  111.        moons, 


Our 


hotel.  One  of  the  sun  stones  lies 
the  Chaddock  school,  at  Quincy.  Illinois, 
formed  us  that  sev- 
eral years  ago  the 
Illinois  State  Legisla- 
ture had  one  taken 
to  Springfield  and 
placed  on  the  capi- 
tol  grounds;  and  I 
am  told  there  is  one 
at  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  in  Wash- 
ington. So  far  as  I 
could  learn  these 
four  are  the  only 
ones,  of  the  sixty 
large  stones, left  in 
existence. 

Soon  after  the  dedication  of  the  temple,  all  the  Saints  who 
could  do  so  crossed  the  river,  following  their  leaders  into  the  wil- 
derness. 

In  September,  1846,  after  the  battle  of  Nauvoo,  the  mob 


Looking    at    the   Iowa   side  of   the*   river   from 
a  farm    near  Nauvoo. 


NAUVOO  TODAY. 


717 


took  possession  of  the  temple,  and  by  them  it  was  defaced  and 
ruthlessly  desecrated. 

On  November  19,  1848,  it  was  burned  by  an  incendiary. 
Soon  after  this  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Icarians  who 
made  elaborate  preparations  to  repair  it.  But  their  hopes  were 
soon  blasted,  for  on  May  27,  1850,  a  tornado  blew  in  the  north 
wall  After  this,  the  other  walls  were  taken  down  and  the 
stones  were  used  in  the  construction  of  dwellings  and  other  build- 
ings.    The  property  is  now  owned  by  a  Mr.  Reimbold. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  three  years  after  the  "Mormons"  were 


John  Taylor's  printing  office  where  the  Nauvoo  Neighbor  and  Times  and 
Seasons  were  published,  Main  Street.  House  at  extreme  right  was  John  Tay- 
lor's residence. 

driven  out,  Nauvoo  was  again  incorporated  as  a  city,  and  so  con- 
tinues today.  It  is  inhabited  by  an  industrious,  frugal  and  peace- 
able people,  made  up  largely  of  Germans.  Grape  raising  and  wine 
making  are  extensively  followed.  The  city  and  its  suburbs  are 
thickly  dotted  with  well  planted  and  neatly  kept  vineyards.  Good 
varieties  of  peaches  are  grown  and  exported  on  an  extensive  scale. 
Their  nearest  railway  station  is  Montrose,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river.     During  the  summer  the  steamboat  traffic  on  the  upper 


18 


IMPRO  YEMENI  ERA. 


Mississippi  between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Paul  is  quite  heavy,  giving 

Nauvoo  a  good  outlet  for  her  products. 

There  is  now  a  movement  under  way  to  build  an  interurban 

line  which  will  connect  Nauvo  with  Niota,  via  Appanoose  and  Se- 

nora  townships.     It  is  said  to  be  financed  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Bartz. 

The  company  is  also  negotiat- 
ing to  instal  an  electric  light 
plant  for  the  city. 

The  "  'Mormon'  Springs" 
a  few  miles  north  of  the 
city  furnish  a  good  supply  of 
pure  water, and  there  is  some 
talk  of  piping  this  water  into 
the  city  for  culinary  pur- 
poses. 

Mulholland  is  the   busi- 
ness street  of  the  city.    It  is 
paved  with  macadam  and  has 
cement   sidewalks.      Among 
State    Bank    of    Nauvoo    and 
There  are  two  saloons   from 


A  group  of  grape  pickers,  Nauvoo,  III. 


the    business    houses     are    the 

the  Nauvoo  First  National  Bank. 

which  the  city  receives  an  annual  revenue  of  four  thousand  dollars. 

The  city  also  supports  two  weekly  newspapers. 

Nauvoo  has  a  good  public  school  system,  embracing  common 
schools  and  a  high  school.  There  are  also  seminaries  built  and 
maintained  by  the  Catholic  church. 


A  vineyard,  Nauvoo.  III. 


NAUVOO  TODAY. 


719 


Farm  lands  in  and  around  Nauvoo  sell  for  about  one  hundred 
dollars  per  acre,  and  city  property,  which  greatly  depreciated  in 
value  after  the  "Mormons"  left,  can  now  be  purchased  for  a  very 
low  figure. 

But  the  most  substantial  and  best  houses  in  Nauvoo  are  those 
erected  a  generation  ago  by  the  "Mormons."  These  humble  builders 
stamped  their  work  with  their  own  character  and  personality, 
giving  the  place  a  delightfully  homelike  atmosphere. 

An  effort  is  now  being  made  to  erect  a  monument  to  the. 
memory  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  at  Nauvoo.  The  following; 
news  item  is  clipped  from  the  Nauvoo  Rustler,  under  date  of  Aug.. 
25,  1908: 


Last  relic  of  the  Nauvoo  Temple — the  Old  Well. 
People  from  left  to  right:  Howard  R.  Driggs,  Salt  Lake  City;  B.  W.  Driggs, 
Pleasant  Grove;   F.   W.  Cox.  Manti;  and  John  Z.  Brown,  Salt  Lake  City. 

We  are  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Heman  C.  Smith,  of  Lamoni,  la.,  histo- 
rian of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  9tating  that 
he  was  in  receipt  of  the  subscription  paper  signed  by  a  number  of  Nauvooites 
welcoming  the  contemplated  monument  to  the  memory  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum 
Smith  in  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  and  that  he  will  present  it  to  the  committee  at  once, 
and  to  extend  to  the  citizens  of  Nauvoo  their  thanks  for  this  consideration. 

[to  be  continued. 1 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


THE  FIRST  HANDCART  COMPANY. 


BY   LYDIA   I).   ALDER. 


On  Good  Friday,  in  the  year  1856,  there  sailed  from  Liver- 
pool on  the  ship  Enoch  Train,  three  hundred  Saints  who  were 
leaving  the  British  Isles   bound  for  America,  and  who  were   to 

draw  handcarts  across  the  great 
western  prairies  to  the  city  by  the 
Great  Salt  Lake. 

The  six  weeks  they  were  cross- 
ing the  mighty  deep  were  happily 
spent.  '  '0  we  had  such  a 
good  time,"  they  say,  "making 
the  tents  we  were  to  use  on  the 
inland  journey,  and  singing  the 
songs  of  Zion;  the  melody  floated 
far  and  wide  over  the  boundless 
sea." 

They  dreamed  of  Zion,  and  the 
castles  they  built  were  filled  with 


Phyllis  Hardy  Ferguson. 


joyous  anticipations  of  the  time  when  they  should  reach  the  goal 
of  their  homes.  The  voyage  was  a  prosperous  one  and  good 
health  prevailed. 

The  larger  part  of  the  company  were  from  Scotland,  and 
were  under  the  care  of  Captain  Dan  McArthur,  of  St.  George, 
Truman  Leonard,  of  Kaysville,  and  Elder  Crandall  of  Springville, 
three  returning  missionaries  from  Utah,  men  staunch  and  true, 
brave  and  loyal  to  the  cause  they  had  been  sent  forth  to  advocate. 

The  Scots,  fresh  from  climbing  their  native  hills,  or  from  their 
simple  life  on  the  heath,  were  physically  adapted  to  the  hard  journey, 
and  could  easily  surmount  the  difficulties  that  had  to  be  met.  Not  so 


THE  FIRST  HANDCART  COMPAN Y.  721 

the  English  company,  though  they  were  as  brave  and  full  of  faith. 
Captain  Edmund  Ellsworth  was  in  charge  of  the  company,  and  by 
appointment  of  President  Brigham  Young,  he  was  to  bring  the 
first  handcart  company  into  Salt  Lake.  The  minor  part  of  the 
company  were  from  other  points  of  Great  Britain.  Boston  was 
their  port  of  landing,  and  in  June  of  the  same  year,  they  reached 
the  frontiers  of  Iowa.  Here  six  more  weeks  were  consumed  in 
making  the  handcarts  to  be  used  on  the  overland  journey.  The 
time,  though  full  of  excitement,  passed  but  slowly,  as  all  were 
eager  to  be  on  the  way.  One  or  more  handcarts  were  appointed 
to  each  family,  according  to  its  size.  A  number  of  wagons  car- 
ried the  necessary  tents,  bedding  and  cooking  utensils.  Thus 
was  undertaken  this  long,  unknown  journey.  Every  effort  was 
made  and  care  taken  to  secure  wood  and  good  water  for  every 
night's  camp-ground,  while  the  people  vied  with  each  other  to  see 
who  could  walk  all  the  way,  and  not  have  to  ride  in  the  wagon. 

Some  have  said:  "What,  tied  to  the  handcarts,  no  wagon  to 
carry  you?"  That  was  not  it.  The  great  desire  of  these  earnest 
Saints  was  (also  their  boast  and  pride)  that  they  walk  all  the 
waytoZion,  drawing  their  handcarts.  Among  those  who  still 
tarry  with  us  of  that  company  are  Sisters  Mary  Crandall  of 
Springville,  Phyllis  Hardy  Ferguson,  and  Agnes  Hardy  Lynch  of 
Salt  Lake,  the  two  latter,  daughters  of  Janet  Hardy,  who  has  long 
since  passed  the  Divide. 

Of  herself,  Sister  Ferguson  (widow  of  James  Ferguson,  pri- 
vate secretary  to  President  Young)  says: 

"I  was  a  very  delicate  girl  when  I  left  Edinburgh,  whom 
people  thought  was  going  into  a  decline,  but  I  walked  every  step 
of  the  way  from  Iowa  to  Salt  Lake,  and  waded  every  river,  exeept 
the  Elkhorn  and  Green,  and  arrived  in  sound  health." 

What  wonder,  then,  that  those  whose  hearts  were  full  of 
faith  and  religious  zeal  started  each  morning's  walk  with  a  cheer- 
ful, buoyant  step,  drawing  their  handcarts  up  hill  and  down  dale, 
and  every  day  outstripping   the  wagons,   which   always   started 

first. 

The  Scottish  Saints  chafed  under  the  thought  that  the  Eng- 
lish company  (always  ahead)were  to  be  the  first  to  enter  the  val- 
ley.     The  average  daily  walk  was  about  fifteen  miles,  but  on  one 


722  IMPR  0  VEMENT  ERA . 

occasion  they  must  have  nearly  doubled  that  distance.  It  hap- 
pened in  this  way:  when  Captain  McArthur  reached  the  place 
where  they  were  to  camp,  he  found  the  camp  ground  unde- 
sirable, nor  was  the  water  good.  "Now,"  said  he,  "if  you  like 
we  will  go  ahead  t^  where  the  water  is  good,  and  more  than  that, 
we  will  overtake  Captain  Ellsworth's  company  tonight."  This 
was  greeted  with  "Hurrah  for  the  handcarts!  Hurrah  for  the 
Scotch!"  Partaking  of  their  captain's  spirit,  fatigue  was  for- 
gotten, the  great  desire  to  be  first  inspired  them,  and  again  they 
commenced  their  walk,  merrily  singing,  'Hurrah,  hurrah  for  the 
handcarts!"  by  our  beloved  poetess,  the  late  Emily  H.  Woodman- 
see: 

Some  must  push  and  some  must  pull 

So  merrily,  0  so  merrily  0; 
And  some  go  marching  up  the  hill, 

Until  they  reach  the  valley  0. 

"When  it  became  quite  dark,"  says  Sister  Ferguson,  "we 
reached  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  where  by  Captain  McArthur's 
instructions  we  left  the  handcarts,  and  quietly  walked  down  to- 
wards the  blazing  camp  fires.  Just  before  we  reached  the  Ells- 
worth company,  we  all  began  to  shout,  'Hurrah  for  the  hand- 
carts!' 

"Captain  Ellsworth,  thinking  it  was  the  overland  mail  coach, 
in  which  was  Franklin  D.  Richards,  the  returning  president  of 
the  European  mission,  and  others  who  were  expected,  hurriedly 
called  out  the  band  to  give  them  glad  welcome.  Imagine  his  cha- 
grin when  he  discovered  that  his  welcome  was  given  to  the 
Scotch  handcart  company,  who  had  overtaken  him !  But  he  was  a 
good  man,  and  has  long  years  ago  ended  his  life's  journey.  Peace 
to  his  ashes!  The  English  people,  though  just  as  good  and 
zealous,  had  not  the  endurance  that  we  had,  and  it  was  difficult  for 
them  to  be  first.     This  ended  our  thirty-two  miles'  walk. 

"At  this  camp  ground  the  Scotch  company  rested  for  two 
weeks,  making  ready  for  the  home  stretch  to  the  valley,  thus 
giving  the  English  a  grand  start  ahead.  What  an  indomitable 
will  had  these  handcart  people!  How  zealous  for  their 
religion!" 


THE  FIRST  HANDCART  COMPANY.  723 

What  wonder,  then,  that  they  were  nerved  for  this  arduous 
journey?  "We  are  doing  this  for  our  religion,"  and  the  thought 
uplifted  them  above  their  trials,  and  faith  was  the  impetus  that 
inspired  them. 

A  sturdy  one  of  their  number,  a  woman  about  sixty  years  of 
age,  was  always  the  first  one  up  in  the  morning.      With  her  walk- 
ing stick  she  would  wrap  on  the  tents,  with  the  familiar   cry, 
"Hurrah  for  the  handcarts!    Time  to  get  up!"     With  her  grand- 
daughter Mary,  about  ten  years  of   age,   she   invariably  walked 
ahead  of  the  wagons.      "Mother  Bathgate,"  as  she   was   called, 
was  a  familiar  figure.     One  morning  soon  after  starting  she  was 
stung  on  the  ankle  by  a  rattle  snake.    The  train  was  stopped;  all 
were  horrified.     Captain  Leonard  lifted  her  into  the  wagon.    From 
its  open  front  she  looked  out  and  impressively  said,     '  'I  want  you 
to  witness  that  I  never  went  into  the  wagon,  until  stung  by  the 
snake.      Her  pain  was  intense;  from  her  hip  to  her  ankle   was   a 
deep   purple.       Truman  Leonard  with  his   penknife   cut  a  little 
place  around  the  bite,  administered  to  her,  and-  then   sucked  the 
poison  out,  which  he  spat  on  the  ground.       She  recoveied,   but 
rode  the  rest  of  the  way  to  the   valley.     She   could  neither  read 
nor  write,  but  was  a  natural  poet.    On   her  misfortune  she  com- 
posed several  lines,  only  two  of  which  Aunt  Phyllis  remembers: 

A  rattlesnake  placed  its  deadly  fangs, 
Into  my  ankle  vein. 

There  were  only  three  deaths  during  the  journey,  a  little 
child,  an  aged  man,  and  a  boy  who,  lagging  behind  the  company, 
either  met  with  accidental  death,  or  was  stolen. 

The  nights  were  often  made  hideous  by  the  yelp  of  the  coyote 
both  near  and  far,  and  the  growis  of  the  beasts  of  prey. 

One  morning,  when  it  had  become'  quite  cold,  a  rattlesnake 
was  found  curled  up  at  the  head  of  Aunt  Phyllis'  tent,  presumably 
attracted  by  the  heat.  Before  reaching  Emigration  Canyon,  the 
Scots  overtook  Captain  Ellsworth.  They  travelved  behind  him 
down  the  canyon,  but  came  into  the  valley  side  by  side  with  him, 
on  the  26th  of  September,  lustily  singing,  "Hurrah,  hurrah  for  the 
handcarts!" 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


A  GLIMPSE  AT   STEVENSON'S   LAST  RESTING 

PLACE. 

BY  ELDER  JOHN  Q.  ADAMS,  OF  THE  SAMOAN  MISSION,  CHURCH  OF 
JESUS  CHRIST   OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS. 


Just  back  of  the  picturesque  little  German  seaport  of  Apia  a 
road  strikes  mountainward.  Its  fine,  smooth,  hard  surface  is 
maintained  by  coral  fragments  carted  from  the  kea-shore.  Follow- 
ing its  winding  contour  at  a  gradual  ascent,  we  saunter  along,  en- 
countering at  fre'queirt  intervals  neat,  pretentious  dwellings  of 
well-to-do  foreigners,  situated  on  commanding  sites  and  surrounded 
by  a  profusion  of  tropical  verdure.      Luxuriant  foliage  lines  both 


Photo  by  A.  J.  Tattersall 

The  Residence  of  the  late  Robert  Louis  StevensoD,  Vailima. 


A  GLIMPSE  AT  STEVENSON'S  LAST  RESTING  PLACE.    725 


sides  of  the  way,  consisting  mainly  of  varieties  of  cocoanuts,  ban- 
anas, oranges,  pineapples,  lemons,  bread-fruit  and  ferns,  flowers, 
and  plants  of  striking  growth  and  color.  To  Complete  the  scene, 
in  frequent  evidence  are  the  peculiar  native  houses  with  their 
dusky  occupants. 

Within  perhaps  a  couple  of  miles  all  human  life  is  left  behind, 
the  landscape  begins  to  take  on  a  more  virgin,  close-to-nature 
aspect,  and  just  as  the  "forest  primeval"  commences  to  loom  up, 
we  come  suddenly  upon  a  spacious  building,  set  in  a  veritable 
frame  of  tropical  vegetation.    The  native  word  Vailima  proclaims 


Photo  by  A.  J.  Tattersall 
The  Grave  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

at  once  the  home  of  the  author.  Notwithstanding  its  well  kept 
appearance,  a  lonely,  deserted  air  pervades  throughout,  as  we 
stand  and  gaze  at  and  then  walk  about  the  old  '  'stamping-ground" 
of  the  departed  great  one.  The  house  is  now  in  good  condition, 
being  the  residence  of  the  present  governor  of  Samoa.  A  large, 
roomy,  two-story,  frame  building  it  is,  with  an  extensive  pavilion- 
like court  at  the  rear,  used  once,  no  doubt,  for  dancing,  receiving, 
etc.  Concrete  yards  and  walks  provide  a  convenient  means  of 
keeping  dry  in  the  frequent  heavy  rains.  To  the  back  is  a  good 
stable  and  chicken-run,  the  latter  containing  a  number  of  orange 


726  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

and  bread-fruit  trees.  Adjoining  it  is  an  enclosure  in  which 
browse  three  rather  shy  deer. 

After  viewing  all  this,  as  there  is  no  one  present  to  give  us 
further  information,  we  pass  out  at  the  rear  of  the  grounds,  by 
an  enormous  cluster  of  bamboo,  over  a  brook  that  tumbles  mur- 
mur ingly  down  its  bed  of  lava  rock,  and  we  are  at  the  foot  of  a 
towering  mountain.  Now  begins  the  famous  "Winding  Trail," 
leading  directly  up  the  steep, volanic  slope.  A  clearing  of  perhaps 
ten  feet  in  width  has  been  cut  through  the  dense  forest,  and  the 
trail  doubles  from  side  to  side  of  this  in  order  to  obtain  the  easiest 
ascent  possible,  and  yet  it  is  precipitous  enough  that,  despite  our 
utmost,  one  or  the  other  of  us  is  continually  falling  down.  Wet 
with  perspiration  and  gasping  for  breath,  we  surmount  the  last 
obstacle,  and  there  before  us  is  a  mass  of  concrete,  the  object  of 
of  our  quest. 

Just  a  word  of  description.  Resting  on  the  ground  is  a  layer 
or  platform  of  concrete  perhaps  10x16x1  feet  on  which  is  a  cube 
of  half  these  dimensions  in  length  and  width,  with  a  height  of 
three  feet  and  a  roof-shaped  top.  Plain,  simple,  unadorned  it  is, 
with  but  a  bronze  plate  on  either  side.  On  the  one  we  make  out 
an  inscription  in  English,  his  own  epitaph,  written  by  him  when 
he  realized  that  his  remaining  moments  were  few  and  fleeting. 
Thus  the  words  pathetically  run: 

Under  the  broad  and  starry  sky 
Dig  the  grave  and  let  me  lie. 
Glad  did  I  live  and  gladly  die, 
And  I  lay  me  down  with  a  will. 
This  be  the  verse  you  'grave  for  me: 
"Here  he  lies  where  he  longed  to  be; 
Home  is  the  sailor,  home  from  the  sea, 
And  the  hunter  home  from  the  hill!" 

On  the  reverse  side  in  the  native  tongue  is  a  verse  or  so  from  the 
Bible  (Ruthl:  16-17). 

It  is  all  in  keeping  with  his  own  request.  In  his  last  resting 
place  is  his  life- wish  fulfiled —  seclusion,  solitude,  peace.  Here 
the  sea  breeze  is  soughing  softly  through  the  forest,  and  strange 
tropical  birds  are. chattering  musically  overhead;  in  the  heavy  down- 
pour of  tropical  rain  or  the  fierce  glare  of  tropical  sun — unaware 


A  GLIMPSE  AT  STEVENSON'S  LAST  RESTING  PLACE.     727 

of  all  this,  which  his  gifted  pen  once  so  vividly  could  have  por- 
trayed— his  body  rests  peacefully  in  the  grave.  But  unlike  the 
majority  of  humanity,  he  lives  in  the  memories  of  thousands,  and 
as  the  years  glide  by  his  devotees  who  happen  to  set  foot  on  the 
shores  of  this  far  off  land  will  connect  the  two  words,  Stevenson 
and  Samoa  and,  Mohammedan-like,  make  the  short  pilgrimage  up 
the  ''Winding  Trail"  to  their  Mecca,  the  simple  slab  of  concrete. 
Apia,  Samoa. 


QUIT  YOU  KNOCKING. 


"Put  your  hammer  in  the  locker, 

Hide  your  sounding  board  likewise; 
Any  one  can  be  a  'knocker;' 

Any  one  can  criticise. 
Cultivate  a  manner  winning, 

Though  it  hurts  your  face  to  smile, 
And  seems  awkward  in  beginning; 

Be  a  booster  for  a  while. 

"Let  the  blacksmith  do  the  Dounding, 

That's  the  way  he  draws  his  pay, 
You  don't  get  a  cent  for  hounding 

Saint  and  sinner  night  and  day. 
Just  for  solid  satisfaction 

Drop  a  kind  word  in  the  slot. 
And  I'll  warrant  you'll  get  action 

For  your  effort  on  the  spot. 

"Kindness  every  time  beats  kicking; 

Mirth  is  better  than  a  frown, 
Do  not  waste  your  time  in  picking 

Flaws  with  brothers  who  are  down. 
And  if  it  isn't  too  distressing, 

You  just  give  a  little  boost 
To  the  man  the  fates  are  pressing, 

When  the  chicks  come  home  to  roost. 

'  'Yes,  this  old  world  would  be  brighter, 

If  you'd  kindle  friendship's  flame, 
And  thus  make  the  trouble  lighter, 

For  the  man  against  the  game. 
Send  your  grouch  on  a  vacation, 

Give  your  grumbling  tones  the  shake, 
And  with  grim  determination, 

Throw  your  hammer  in  the  lake." 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  *»»  Phillips  Meakin. 


THE  TRAGEDY  AND  TRIUMPH  OF  YOUTH. 

BY   J.  E.  HICKMAN,   A.  M.,   PRESIIENT  OF  THE  MUBDOCK  ACADEMY. 


VII.  — THE   RICHES  OF  ADVERSITY  VS.  THE  POVERTY  OF 

OPULENCE. 

"It  is  not  birth,   nor  rank,  nor  state: 
'Tis  get-up- and-git  that  makes  men  great." 

The  Emperor  of  Germany,  realizing  the  bane  of  ease  and 
plenty,  had  his  sons  schooled  in  the  most  severe  study  and  physi- 
cal endurance.  He  gave  them  training  in  the  strenuous  life. 
That  is  an  antidote  to  the  poisons  to  which  fortune  is  heir.  But 
humanity  is  eager  to  plunge  into  the  lap  of  wealth  and  ease  and 
dream  of  the  state  of  Nirvana.  Money,  beyond  the  needs  of  life 
and  the  aiding  of  projects  that  bring  new  light  or  thought  into 
the  world,  is  a  hindrance.  It  does  not  bring  true  happiness, 
but  rather  the  reverse,  A  wealthy  banker  and  mine  owner 
some  time  ago  confessed  to  me  that  wealth  produced  al- 
most anything  but  happiness.  He  said  that  through  it  he  had 
lost  confidence  in  mankind.  ''No  man  ever  approaches  me,"  he 
said,  "but  I  feel,  'What  advantage  does  he  wish  to  take  of  me 
now?'  '  A  similar  remark  was  once  made  by  Jay  Gould  when 
confessing  the  sorrows  of  a  wealthy  man.  Wealth  in  itself  is  a 
blessing,  but  poor,  silly  humanity,  like  moths  seeing  the  brilliant 
flame,  attempt  to  plunge  into  the  glare.  Man  possessing  wealth 
should  use  it  as  a  directing  force  to  up-lift  humanity  not  to  wrap 
himself  in  it  and  glut  his  lusts. 

Almost  every  one  desires  to  make  money,  which  is  a  legiti- 
mate wish,  if  it  is  a  means  to   a  worthy  end;  but  let  money- 


THE  TRAGEDY  AND  TRIUMPH  OF  YOUTH.  729 

making  be  subordinate  to  character-building.  The  spirit  of  get- 
rich-quick  is  destructive  of  the  nobler  sentiments  of  life.  It  has 
ruined  its  thousands.  With  that  sentiment  predominant,  succeed 
or  fail,  the  moral  standard  has  been  lowered.  Such  a  sentiment 
is  a  blight  upon  the  soul.  Norman  had  for  his  motto:  "I  will 
engage  in  business  that  I  may  serve  God  in  it,  and  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  getting  to  give."  The  result  was  growth  in  graces 
and  increase  in  spirituality.  It  is  said  of  him,  that  he  rose  to- 
wards heaven  like  a  lark  of  the  morning. 

Until  men  reach  the  high  intellectual  plane  where  they  take 
more  pleasure  in  doing  good  with  the  money  they  earn,  than  in 
money-making  itself,  business  will  be  debased  to  a  species  of  gam- 
bling. The  speculations  of  Wall  Street  exemplify  this  thought. 
Scarcely  ever  has  money  softened  the  human  heart,  but  it  has 
turned  man  from  his  God  and  his  fellowmen.  It  has  dried  up  the 
fount  of  human  kindness  and  strewn  the  earth  with  debauchery. 
Give  me  the  storms  of  tempest  and  adversity.  Give  me  the  in- 
spiration of  want,  the  yearning  for  greater  things.  Then,  as  I 
ascend  the  crags  of  Sinai,  I  shall  hear  the  voice  of  Jehovah  declar- 
ing, "Blessed  are  they  who  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness 
and  give  drink  unto  the  thirsty."  Wholesome  opposition  met  with 
in  life's  struggles  stimulates  man  to  his  best. 

No  one  should  shrink  from  opposition  if  in  that  opposition  his 
duty  lies.  The  earth  was  filled  with  opposing  forces  to  make  man 
great.  Every  worthy  task  implies  opposition.  Friction  is  opposi- 
tion, yet  without  it  no  structure  could  stand  nor  be  erected.  Oppo- 
sition gives  stability  and  inspires  progress.  Without  the  oppos- 
ing forces  of  winter  and  the  Arctic  blizzards,  the  sterility  of  the 
earth,  and  the  withering  blasts,  civilized  men  would  degenerate 
into  painted  savages  lounging  in  earth's  tropical  forests. 

"Cursed  is  the  ground  for  thy  sake,"  was  the  blessing  God 
vouchsafed  to  Adam  and  gave  as  a  heritage  to  his  offspring. 
Man  has  found  true  happiness  in  overcoming  the  obstacles  that 
lie  in  his  path.  It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  God  cursed  the  earth 
to  punish  or  take  vengeance  on  Adam.  Toil  develops  both  mind 
and  body,  [t  brings  health,  wealth  and  happiness.  Toiling  com- 
munities, I  have  always  noticed  are  the  happiest.  Idleness  brings 
discontent  and  degeneracy  to  both  mind  and  body.      Honest  labor 


730  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

— physical  and  mental — produces  its  own  enjoyment;  but  the  idler, 
the  street-loafer  and  the  tramp,  if  they  have  joy,  must  seek 
it  outside  of  idleness.  When  man  runs  away  from  work, 
he  runs  away  from  progress.  God  could  have  put  no 
surer  curse  upon  man  than  to  have  left  him  in  his  fallen  state  in 
an  Edenic  world.  The  redeeming  of  a  fallen  world  has  flooded  the 
earth  with  wisdom  and  intelligent  joy.  When  Rome  turned  from 
honest  toil  and  became  a  parasite,  she  lost  her  prowess  and 
groaned  with  crime,  -while  other  peoples  came  in  and  trod  upon 
ruins  of  that  self-defeated  nation.  Young  reader,  turn  from  life's 
task  and  tbe  world  will  write  upon  your  brow,  "Ichebod," — your 
glory  is  departed. 

There  is  no  triumph  except  in  overcoming.  Heaven  is  victory; 
hell  is  failure — the  failure  to  accomplish  life's  mission.  Struggle, 
not  the  mere  fact  that  you  have  succeeded,  gives  power  and 
exquisite  joy.  Row  up  the  stream  of  time,  not  float  down. 
The  drift  wood  goes  down,  the  trout  swims  up.  The  drift 
not  only  goes  down,  but  it  becomes  soggy  and  worthless.  It 
is  neither  fit  for  fuel  nor  timber.  Finally  reaching  its  lowest  level 
a  wave  flings  it  upon  the  shore.  There  it  lies  dead  and  unavail- 
ing. How  many  youths  have  turned  driftwood  and  now  lie  dead 
to  the  world,  dead  to  progress,  dead  to  all  that  is  holy.  They 
would  better  be  a  scar  upon  the  brow  of  time  than  a  piece  of 
driftwood  upon  the  shores  of  eternity,  for  then  nothing  would 
ever  be  expected  of  them;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  the 
sad  record  of  what  they  migh*;  have  been.  Strong  language,  but 
there  is  no  language  forceful  enough  to  express  the  rebuke  for 
the  debasement  of  young  man  or  womanhood. 

Why  this  struggle  with  horny  hands,  sweated  or  thoughtful 
brow?  Is  it  worth  the  candle?  Aye,  a  thousand  times!  Hunt 
pleasure  and  it  flees  from  you;  turn  to  progress,  and  pleasure  fol- 
lows you.  The  getting  brings  new  thought,  gives  power.  The  aim 
of  life  is  power— power  to  know  and  to  do.  "Know  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  will  make  you  free."  Have  an  aim  in  life,  and 
work  for  it.  Should  the  getting  make  you  feel  that  you  want  to 
rest  from  further  toil,  then  the  getting  is  harmful.  When  the 
coveted  task  is  accomplished,  the  true  spirit  of  growth  gives 
new  inspiration  for  higher  ideals.      Thomas  A.  Edison  once  said: 


THE  TRAGDEY  AND  TRIUMPH  OF  YOUTH.  731 

"Anything  I  have  begun  is  always  on  my  mind,  and  I  am  not 
easy  while  away  from  it,  until  it  is  finished,  and  then  I  hate  it. 
Yes,"  he  added,  "when  it  is  all  done,  and  is  a  success,  I  can't 
bear  the  sight  of  it.  I  haven't  used  a  telephone  for  ten  years, 
and  I  would  go  ©ut  of  my  way  any  day  to  miss  an  incandescent 
light."  Mr.  Edison  has  produced  over  a  thousand  inventions,  and 
still  his  love  and  inspiration  lie  in  the  unfinished  task. 

I  have  a  number  of  diplomas  in  my  trunk,  but  I  have  not 
appreciated  them  enough  to  have  them  framed.  Yet  when  the 
truths  they  represent  were  in  the  getting  stage,  they  absorbed  all 
other  thoughts.  The  scripture  administers  a  severe  rebuke  to 
him  who  is  satisfied  with  what  he  has  gained  and  bids  his  soul  rest. 
"But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be 
required  of  thee.''  How  often  you  see  a  young  man  who  is  will- 
ing to  overturn  the  earth  t©  win  a  young  lady  of  his  choice ;  but 
once  he  succeeds,  he  settles  down  in  stupid  poverty,  a  slave  to 
indifference,  while  he  worse  than  beggars  wife  and  children. 
Christ  in  one  of  his  parables  tells  of  a  servant  who  rejected 
heaven  because  he  had  married  a  wife.  Thus  an  ideal  accom- 
plished instead  of  becoming  an  inspiration,  is  a  hindrance  to  him 
who  is  easily  satisfied.  A  true  wife  should  be  a  living  inspira- 
tion; not  an  opiate  that  deadens  progress.  Young  man,  when  you 
are  doing  your  level  best,  you  are  none  too  good  for  a  noble  woman. 

"There  is  no  success,"  said  a  noted  painter,  "as  valuable  as 
the  failure  which  leads  to  greater  effort.  There  is  no  failure  so 
complete  as  the  success  which  paralyzes  earnest  work." 

Remember  that  honest, earnest  labor,  hallowed  by  inspiration, 
has  moved  the  world  from  darkness  to  light,  swept  ignorance  back, 
and  flooded  the  earth  with  intelligence.  Remember,  too,  that  the 
block  of  granite  that  is  a  stumbling  block  to  the  weak,  becomes  a 
stepping  stone  to  the  strong.  Reverses  in  your  life  are  not  signs 
of  failure,  but  prophecies  of  triumph.  The  strenuous  hours  of  a 
nation  have  brought  out  all  that  was  good  in  her  people,  and  have 
stamped  the  names  of  her  sons  in  imperishable  fame. 

Switzerland's  struggle  for  liberty  immortalized  her  name. 
During  the  dark  night  of  the  Revolution  the  names  of  Washing- 
ton, Jefferson,  Adams,  and  a  galaxy  of  others  were  made  famous, 
hence  their  names  became  household  words  in  many  lands.       Had 


732  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

it  not  been  for  our  national  crisis,  their  names  like  their  influence 
would  have  been  confined  to  their  colonial  homes.  Again,  there 
rises  before  us  the  name  of  Commodore  Dewey.  He,  unknown  to 
the  world,  his  ships  rotting  in  the  harbor  of  Singapore,  flashed  into 
world-wide  prominence  in  twenty-four  hours  by  annihilating  the 
Spanish  fleet  in  Manila  bay.  It  was  like  the  sudden  bursting  of  a 
comet  upon  our  horizon  with  a  noonday  brilliancy. 

As  a  final  example  of  what  reverses  and  the  breaking  of  ideals 
will  do,  I  cannot  refrain  from  citing  the  indomitable  courage  and 
valor  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  They  owe  half  their  greatness  to 
their  cruel  banishment.  "They  went  to  the  heart  of  the  great 
American  desert,"  as  one  writer  has  said,  "willingly  because  they 
had  to."  Working  under  the  inspiration  of  adversity,  a  mighty 
human  kaleidoscope  has  ever  been  turning  its  magic-like  impossi- 
bilities to  the  admiration  of  thinking  men.  Then  it  was  solitude 
and  desolation;  today  it  is  civilization  and  culture.  Then  the 
desert;  today  a  garden  of  Hesperides.  Then  the  crow  and  the 
magpie  filled  the  valleys  with  their  dismal  cries;  today  the  lark 
and  the  thrush  make  them  glad  with  their  songs.  The  wolfs 
lonely  howl  and  the  savage's  wild  wail  have  been  supplemented 
by  the  hymn  of  devotion.  Then  the  desert  was  the  altar;  today  it 
is  the  temple. 

Philosophy  tells  us  that  man  is  subject  to  his  environment. 
But  in  this  case  the  environment  has  been  subject  to  the  people. 
The  Redman  was  influenced  by  this  wild  and  sterile  country,  hence 
he  became  a  savage.  But  the  modern  pioneer  permitted  only  the 
influence  of  the  broad  valleys,  the  intense  and  lofty  inspiration  of 
these  majestic  mountains  to  "electrotype  themselves  upon  the 
medallions"  of  their  brains.  The  granite  hills  gave  stability  to 
the  character,  and  endurance  to  the  people's  thrift  and  education. 
During  the  long  night  of  their  banishment,  they  dreamed  dreams 
that  no  mortal  ever  dreamed  before,  and  their  dreams  became 
their  prophets.  They  turned  opposition,  hatred,  and  mistrust  of 
their  enemies  to  further  their  cause,  as  the  experienced  mariner 
uses  the  opposing  winds  to  reach  the  harbor  for  which  he  is 
bound. 

Be  strong,  0  warring  soul!    For  very  sooth, 
Kings  are  but  wraiths,  republics  fade  like  rain, 


THE  TRAGEDY  AND  TRIUMPH  OF  YOUTH.  733 

Peoples  are  reaped  and  garnered  as  the  grain, 

And  only  that  persists  which  is  the  truth: 

Be  strong  when  all  the  days  of  life  bear  ruth 

And  fury  and  are  hot  with  toil  and  strain: 

Hold  thy  large  faith  and  quell  thy  mighty  pain: 

Dream  thy  great  dream  that  buoys  thine  age  with  youth. 

Thou  art  an  eagle  mewed  in  a  sea-stopped  cave: 

He  poised  in  darkness,  with  victorious  wings, 

Keeps  night  between  the  granite  and  the  sea, 

Until  the  tide  ha?  drawn  the  warder-wave, 

Then  from  the  portal  where  the  ripple  sings, 

He  bursts  into  the  boundless  morning — free! — Atlantic  Monthly. 


Beaver,   Utah. 


THE   DISPENSATION  OF  THE   FULNESS  OF   TIMES. 

{For  the  Improvement  Era.) 


Awake  and  arise,  all  ye  slumbering  nations! 
The  heavens  fling  open  their  portals  again. 
The  last,  and  the  greatest  of  all  dispensations 
Has  burst  like  a  dawn  o'er  the  children  of  men. 

The  dream  of  the  poet,  the  crown  of  the  ages, 
Of  which  all  the  far-seeing  prophets  have  spoke — 
That  glorious  day  only  dreamed  by  the  sages 
Is  yours.     Oh  ye  slumbering  nations,  awake! 

Lo,  Israel  from  his  long  slumber  is  waking. 
The  stars,  and  the  moon,  and  the  darkness  are  gone; 
And  on  the  high  towers  of  our  Zion  is  breaking 
The  gold  of  the  promised  millennial  dawn. 

Now  lift  up  your  voices  in  song  and  in  story . 
Now  let  the  war  flags  of  all  nations  be  furled. 
For  truth,  heaven-born  in  her  beauty  and  glory, 
Is  marching  triumphantly  over  the  world. 

Theodore  E.  Curtis. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


THE  CHRISTIANS  CONFERENCE  HOUSE. 


BY  ELDER  A.  B.  LARSEN,  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  CONFERENCE. 


On  the  23rd  of  July,  1871,  a  meeting  and  dwelling  house 
which  had  been  erected  by  the  Saints  of  Christiania,  Norway,  was 
dedicated.  This  was  the  first  house  of  worship  owned  by  the 
Latter-day  Saints  in  Norway.  It  was  used  for  about  thirty  years, 
when  it  was  condemned,  being  considered  unsafe  on  account  of 
the  ground- sinking.  The  venerable  Christian  D.  Fjeldsted  laid  the 
plans  and  began  the  building,  he  being  president  of  the  Christiania 
conference  at  that  time. 

The  accompanying  picture  shows  the  present  building  which 
was  erected  on  the  same  spot,  and  dedicated  July  24,  1903.      The 


Latter-day  Saints  Meetinghouse,  Christiania,  Norway. 


Interior  Latter-day  Saints  Meetinghouse,  Christiania,  Norway. 

dedication  prayer  was  offered  by  President  Francis  M.  Lyman,  who 
was  then  president  of  the  European  mission. 

Our  building  has  recently  been  re-painted,  and  now  presents  a 
very  attractive  appearance.  It  has  a  very  good  location,  being  in 
the  most  thickly  populated  part  of  the  city.  Besides  the  elders' 
home,  which  consists  of  an  office  and  three  rooms,  there  are  five 
departments,  which  are  rented  by  families,  and  two  halls  used  for 
holding  meetings. 

Accompanying  is  a  picture  showing  the  interior  of  the  large 
hall  which  has  a  seating  capacity  of  six  hundred.  It  is  well  pro- 
portioned and  well  finished,  being  nicely  decorated  with  paintings. 
It  is  well  lighted  with  electricity  and  presents  a  very  inviting  ap- 
pearance. The  newspapers  of  the  city  often  make  mention  of 
the  beautiful  hall  of  the  "Mormons."  The  small  hall  is  used  by 
the  auxiliary  organizations. 

In  the  basement  is  found  the  baptismal  font  which  is  con- 
structed of  cement.  The  walls  are  very  beautifully  decorated  with 

historical  paintings. 

Our  branch  is  completely  organized  with  all  the  auxiliary 
organizations  with  the  exception  of  Primary  and  Religion  Class. 
Our  M.  I.  A.  is  doing  an  excellent  work.  Nearly  all  of  our  young 
people  are  enrolled  and  are  taKing  great  interest  in  their  work. 


Baptismal  Font,  Latter  day  Saints  Meetinghouse,  Christiania  Norway. 

The  Sunday  School  has  been  making  very  marked  progress  of 
late.  The  average  attendance  during  the  present  year  has  been 
one  hundred  and  seventy.  The  young  as  well  as  the  old  are  very 
much  interested  and  are  taking  an  active  part.  We  feel  that  a 
great  work  is  being  done  among  the  young  people. 

Our  Relief  Society  also  is  doing  a  grand  work  among  the  poor, 
and  is  of  great  assistance  to  the  missionaries  in  spreading  the 
truth.     We  appreciate  its  labors  very  much. 

In  mentioning  our  organizations,  we  must  not  overlook  our 
choir  which  consists  of  about  sixty  members.  The  past  two  years 
it  has  been  under  the  able  leadership  of  Elder  0.  E.  Johnsen. 
The  choir  is  highly  appreciated  by  both  Saints  and  strangers,  and 
is  doing  a  very  good  work  in  furnishing  singing  for  all  of  our 
entertainments  and  meetings.  There  are  a  great  many  people 
drawn  to  our  meetings  through  the  musical  services.  At  first 
people  often  come  merely  to  hear  our  singing,  but  many  of  them 
become  interested,  which  results  finally  in  their  becoming  members 
of  the  Church. 

In    behalf    of  the   elders   of  the  Christiania   conference,  I 
take  the  opportunity  of  thanking  you  very  much  for  the  Era  which 
is  always  welcome  and  highly  appreciated.      We  find  it  very  bene- 
ficial in  assisting  us  in  spreading  the  gospel. 
Christiania,  Norway. 


PEOPLE  AND  PLACES  IN  THE  ORIENT. 

BY  FRANK    J.  HEWLETT,   DIRECTOR   OF  THE  UTAH   STATE  FAIR   AND 
PRESIDENT  OF  HEWLETT  BROS.  COMPANY. 


II.— ON   THE  WAVE. 
The  Pacific  Mail  S.  S.  Siberia  is  592  feet  long,  with  a  depth 
of  40  feet,  beam  63  feet,  tonnage  18,000,  horse  power  18,000, 
speed  eighteen  miles  an  hour.     It  takes  156  tons  of  coal  every  24 

hours  to  make  the  black 
smoke  that  belches  through 
her  two  large  funnels.  The 
item  of  expense  for  fuel  alone 
on  a  voyage  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Hongkong,  China, 
and  return,  is  $65,000.  Her 
coaling  stations  are  San  Fran- 
cisco, Honolulu,  Yokohama, 
and  Nagasaki,  Japan.  These 
figures  are  furnished  me  by 
A.  E.  Moncaster,  chief  en- 
gineer. Her  commander  is 
A.  Zeeder,  a  genial,intelligent 
Deck  Scene  on  the  Siberia.  gentleman,  who   is  fast  win- 

ning the  love  and  respect  of  his  passengers.  The  officers  are  all 
Americans,  the  crew  and  servants,  Chinese.  The  Chinese  are  en- 
gaged with  an  ironclad  contract.  Next  they  are  weighed,  their 
height  taken,  the  color  of  their  eyes,  all  birth  marks  are  carefully 
examined  and  registered,  and  during  the  last  two  trips  out  from 
Hongkong,  they  have  actually  been  branded  with  the  company  s 
mark    in  India  ink.      This  is  to  prevent  others  being  substituted 


738 


IMPR 0  VEMENT  ERA . 


for  the  return  voyage.  They  live  together  in  the  steerage.  The 
company  allows  them  extra  compensation  so  that  they  can  buy 
their  own  kind  of  food  and  cook  it  to  suit  themselves.  When  not 
working  they  are  playing  fan-tan,  smoking  opium,  and  keeping  up 
an  incessant  chatter.  There  is  a  clause  in  the  contract  which  is 
strictly  adhered  to,  and  that  is  if  any  of  them  die  on  shipboard, 
they  shall  not  be  buried  at  sea,  but  embalmed  and  carried  on  to 
China. 

Our  table  waiters  are  also  from  the  "flowery  kingdom,"  and 
it  is  rather  amusing  to  watch  them.  They  wear  blue  suits  for 
breakfast  and  lunch;  but  at 
dinner,  they  dress  in  long, 
white  —  well  I  call  them 
night-shirts.  They  also  wear 
white  gloves  to  match. 

We  order  by  number 
from  our  bill  of  fare,  or  menu 
card,  and  it  is  surprising  how 
readily  these  Chinese  waiters 
remember  the  numbers.  My 
seat  is  near  a  group  of  tea- 
buyers,  several  of  them  on 
their  fifteenth  annual  trip, 
and  one,  Otis  A.  Poole,  holds 

the  high  record  for  those  aboard,  being  on  his  twenty-sixth  long  sea 
journey.  Of  course,  some  of  the  others  have  not  crossed  quite  so 
often.  Some  are  booked  for  Formosa,  w^ere  the  Oolong  teas 
grow.  Others  are  going  to  Kobe,  Shidozuoka,  and  Yokohama, 
Hankow,  and  Amov,  China.  While  a  few  will  travel  still  further 
to  Ceylon  and  India.  All  are  going  to  one  or  the  other  of  the 
great  tea  centers  of  the  world. 

We  are  living  in  a  cosmopolitan,  floating  city.  So  many 
nationalities  are  represented,  and  so  many  veteran  travelers  are 
gathered  together  on  one  of  these  Pacific  steamers,  that  the  com- 
placent young  tourist,  whose  town  and  family  viewed  him  as  a 
Stanley,  or  Columbus,  when  he  started  to  circle  the  globe,  shrinks 
into  nothingness  beside  the  tea,  silk,  or  opium  merchant  at  his 
elbow  who  is  making  his  twentieth  or  perhaps  thirtieth  round. 


Portion  of  Dining  Saloon. 


PEOPLE  AND  PLACES  OF  THE  ORIENT. 


739 


Members  of  the  consular  service  representing  the  big  governments 
of  the  earth  are  returning  to  their  fields  of  labor.  Their  tales  of 
travel  and  work  in  the  diplomatic  field  are  very  interesting  and 
well  worth  listening  to.  A  Manila  or  Java  planter,  a  teak-wood, 
or  pearl  merchant  from  Siam,  the  swarthy  Anglo-Indian  from 
India,  the  serious  Englishman  in  the  Consular  service,  and  last 
but  not  least  the  ever  smiling,  happy-go-lucky  drummer  with  both 
eyes  wide  open  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  scoop  an  order. 

We  are  also  honored  with  the  presence  of  former  Queen  Liliu- 
okulani  of  Hawaii, who  has  been  in  Washington  since  last  November 
pressing  her  claim  of  $250,000  against  Uncle  Sam,  for  lands  and 
personal  property  taken  from  her  at  the  time  the  Islands  were 
annexed  to  the  United  States.     She  has  been  ably  represented  in 

Congress,  and  is  now  on  her 
way  home,  where  she  will 
await  results,  which  we  hope 
will  be  satisfactory;  for,  up 
to  the  present  time,  it  looks 
like  a  case  of  "might  makes 
right."  Her  large  state 
room  is  a  perfect  bower  of 
beautiful  flowers.  She  is  ac- 
companied by  her  maid  and 
her  secretary,  J.  D.  Aimoka. 
The  first  two  days  at  sea 
is  rather  monotonous  for 
some  of  the  amateurs,  and 
when  you  ask  them,  "How  are  you  feeling?"  that  far-away  smile 
means  volumes  to  those  who  understand;— well,  let  us  forget  it  ?s 
merely  a  tiny  phantom  of  the  past. 

The  second  night  out  there  was  real  excitement.  An  inci- 
dent occurred  that  will  be  remembered  for  some  time.  Just  after 
midnight  the  ship's  whistle  gave  three  tremendous  blasts,  the 
machinery  ceased  to  whirl,  and  the  boat  was  brought  almost  to  a 
stand-still.  Thoughts  of  a  collision  were  foremost  in  the  minds  of 
the  now  bewildered  passengers,  as  they  tumbled  out  of  their 
beds,  and  into  the  aisles.  Would  like  to  have  taken  a  picture  of 
some  of  them  in  their  variegated  costumes,  but  was  scared  like 


Playing  Shuffleboard  on  Boat-deck. 


740 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


the  rest  of  the  good  people.  One  nervous  old  lady  shrieked  in  my 
ear,  "I  know  we  are  going  to  the  bottom!"  On  the  top  deck  the 
passengers  clambered,  and  there  we  saw  a  beautiful  sight.  The 
bright  stars  above,  the  dark  sea  beneath,  while  a  short  distance 
away  was  another  liner,  her  electric  lights  flashing  from  bow  to 
stern,  and  numerous  signals  that  we  could  not  understand,  were 
constantly  shot  skyward.  It  was  the  S.  S.  Manchuria,  27,000 
tons,  bound  for  San  Francisco.  A  few  minutes  later  a  life  boat 
was  lowered  and  manned  by  six  Chinese  and  an  American  officer. 
They  were  soon  alongside  of  the  Siberia,  and  two  stowaways  who 
had  crept  aboard  at  Honolulu  were  transferred  to  our  ship,  put  in 
irons  and  taken  below  to  be  sent  back  to  Honolulu. 

The  time  wasted  was  forty  minutes, 
besides  the  danger  of  launching  the  boat 
in  the  night.  For  information  I  asked 
one  of  the  officers  if  that  were  not  an 
expensive  bit  of  work.  His  answer 
was,  "As  near  as  I  can  figure,  the  cost 
will  be  about  $210,  stopping  and  start- 
the  two  boats,  loss  of  time,  etc." 
"Would  it  not  have  been  better  to  have 
put  them  to  work  and  let  them  earn 
their  passage?"  He  answered,  "No;  for 
the  reason  it  would  encourage  others  to 
stow  themselves  away,  and  it  is  a  writ- 
ten law  with  our  company  that  where  it  is  possible  to  make  the 
transfer,  to  do  so,  and  turn  them  over  to  the  proper  authorities." 
The  passengers  went  back  to  their  beds  to  dream  of  stowaways, 
ship-wrecks,  etc. 

Next  day  sea-sickness  had  worn  off  with  most  of  the  pas- 
sengers, and,  becoming  better  acquainted,  they  were  in  for  hav- 
ing a  good  time.  A  notice  was  tacked  up  on  the  bulletin  board  in 
the  social  hall,  calling  for  a  meeting  in  the  dining  room  at  2:30. 
Two  committees  were  appointed,  one  on  finance,  the  other  on 
amusements.  Before  leaving,  a  collection  was  taken  up,  which 
amounted  to  $130,  and  this  was  formed  into  different  sized  purses, 
and  used  as  prizes  for  which  most  of  the  passengers  contested. 
It  was  a  sort  of  Olympic  game  held  in  mid- ocean,  in  which  ladies 


Swimming  Pool  on  S.  S. 
Siberia 


PEOPLE  AND  PLACES  OF  THE  ORIENT.  741 

and  gentlemen  joined.  There  was  considerable  rivalry  among  cer- 
tain factions;  for  instance,  Germans  and  English.  Among  the 
sports  entered  into  by  the  ladies  were  the  spoon-and-egg  sprints, 
and  the  potato-race. 

In  the  spoon-and-egg  race,  a  hen's  egg  is  laid  on  the  deck  at 
a  certain  spot  and  the  girl  contestants  must  run  and  scoop  this  up 
with  a  spoon,  and  carry  it  back  to  the  goal,  without  letting  it  fall. 
The  distance  is  about  fifty  yards.  It  requires  skill  to  get  the  egg 
into  the  spoon,  and  a  steady  hand  to  carry  it. 

Next  came  the  potato  race.  Twelve  raw  potatoes  are  laid 
upon  the  deck,  the  Irish  apples  being  about  three  feet  apart. 
There  is  a  small  box  at  the  end  of  each  row.  In  this  game  three 
girls  can  contest  at  one  time.  Each  takes  a  row  and  attempts  to 
gather  her  potatoes  quicker  than  the  others.  The  potatoes  can 
only  be  picked  up  one  at  a  time,  and  all  must  go  into  the  box  at 
the  end  of  the  row.  The  one  who  finishes  first,  putting  her  full 
dozen  into  the  box,  is  the  winner.  The  contest  was  between 
German,  English,  and  American  ladies.  Sturdy  England  won  the 
day,  amid  much  cheering  and  clapping  of  hands. 

Another  sport  in  which  both  sexes  contested  was  threading 
the  needle.  Two  ladies  stood  at  one  end  holding  a  needle  in  posi- 
tion to  be  threaded.  Two  boys  start  from  the  opposite  end  on  a 
dead  run,  thread  in  hand  to  perform  the  expert  feat  of  putting 
the  thread  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  in  about  two  seconds,  if  he 
expects  to  be  declared  the  winner;  then  running  back  to  the 
coveted  goal.  Next  time  the  movements  were  reversed,  the  ladies 
doing  the  running  part.  There  were  many  exciting  contests 
which  created  considerable  amusement. 

The  next  was  a  cracker-eating  contest.  Ten  small  boys 
stood  on  ten  stools,  and  the  way  they  stuffed  cracuers,  covered 
with  blackberry  jam,  was  a  caution:  and  if  the  contest  had  been 
of  long  duration  the  prospects  looked  bright  for  a  cracker  famine 

aboard. 

As  for  games  for  the  men, they  were  many  and  mostly  ridicu- 
lous. The  pillow  fight  was  the  most  laughable,  as  well  as  the  most 
interesting.  In  this  contest  two  men  balancing  themselves  astride 
a  pole  with  a  mattress  beneath  them,  fought  each  other  with  pil- 
lows until  one  was  knocked  off  the  pole  onto  the  mattress.     There 


742  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

were  about  thirty  contestants  for  this  prize.       An  American  with 
Yankee  cleverness  won  it. 

Next  was  the  love  chase,  ring  and  shuffleboard  contests, 
pitching  quoits  made  of  rope, punching  the  bag,and  other  games  too 
numerous  to  mention.  Of  all  the  games  provided  none  other 
seemed  so  well  suited  to  provide  a  clean,  exciting  amusement  as 
the  hotly  contested  and  old  sea-game  of  shuffleboard.  In  this  game 
wooden  discs  about  six  inches  in  diameter  and  one  and  one-half 
inches  thick  are  used.  There  are  four  red  and  four  white  ones- 
They  are  pushed  by  means  of  a  long  stick,  widened  at  the  end, 
and  the  discs  made  to  slide  across  the  deck,  the  attempt  being 
made  to  have  them  stop  at  advantageous  positions  in  courts 
marked  off  on  the  deck  with  certain  numbers;  or  attempts  are 
made  to  knock  your  adversary's  discs  out  of  good  positions  which 
he  may  have  attained.  That  which  makes  the  game  especially  in- 
teresting is  to  figure  correctly  on  the  motion  of  the  boat,  which 
by  inclining  the  deck,  changes  the  course  of  the  sliding  discs. 

With  the  exception  of  the  second  day  the  sea  was  compar- 
atively smooth  all  the  way  to  Honolulu.  Some  "globe  trotters" 
may  imagine  the  voyage  monotonous,  but  I  beg  to  differ.  What 
is  there  more  delightful  after  the  sports  are  over,  than  to  lounge 
in  an  easy  chair  on  the  top  deck  and  watch  nature  in  her  differ- 
ent moods.  You  see  the  rolling,  restless,  deep  and  dark  blue 
ocean,  and  the  cloud- checkered  sky  meeting  it  along  the  level  hori- 
zon all  around.  The  modifications  which  the  setting  sun  makes  as 
this  brilliant  orb  peeps  through  the  rifted  clouds  lighting  up  their 
fringes  in  gorgeous  colors,  and  throwing  a  broad  level  highway 
of  silver  and  golden  shimmer  upon  the  ocean  in  front  of  us,  com- 
bine a  picture  of  elegance  and  sublimity  which  only  the  most 
beautiful  rainbow  in  all  its  grand  array  of  colors  can  equal. 
Though  simple  the  scene,  yet  because  of  its  magnificence,  one 
never  becomes  weary  of  watching,  till  finally  the  sun  disappears 
like  a  ball  of  red  fire  into  the  blue  sea.  At  daybreak,  on  the 
morning  of  April  2,  with  the  aid  of  our  field  glasses,  we  beheld 
the  faint  outlines  of  land  ahead.  When  the  sun  rose  in  unclouded 
splendor,  Koko  point  stood  out  in  bold  relief,  all  its  rugged  out- 
]  ines  sharply  defined  against  a  tropical  sky.  We  had  a  full  and 
unobstructed  view  of  the  coast  as  it  was  slowly  revealed  like  an  un- 


PEOPLE  AND  PLACES  OF  1HE  ORIENT. 


74J 


folding  panorama.  Diamond  Head  loomed  up  in  its  majestic 
greatness,  and  the  cocoanut  trees,  dimmed  by  the  distance,  the 
flashing  surf  breaking  upon  the  reef,  the  remote  valleys  with 
their  veils  of  verdure,  Punch  Bowl,  seeming  so  low  because  of 
its  great  girth,  all  combined  to  make  an  enchanting  first  impres- 
sion, that  we  enjoy  but  once,  and  afterwards  we  may  reflect  while 
we  remember  it  as  a  beautiful  dream: 

"Islands  fair, 
Which  lie  like  jewels  on  the  Pacific  deep, 
Fed  by  the  Summer's  suns  and  azure  air." 

Honolulu,  H.  I. 


WONDERS  OF  SOUTHERN  UTAH. 

Scene  near  the  District  of  Henrieville,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  sec.  7  Township 

37  South,  and  Range  3  West,  looking  northwest  from  the  center  of  sec.  7. 


EDITOR'S    TABLE. 


WHAT  THE  PURPOSE? 

In  order  that  a  young  man  may  make  up  his  mind  what 
course  in  life  to  take  he  must  pay  some  thought  on  where  he  is 
going  in  the  long  run;  what  shall  be  the  condition  he  would  like  to 
enjoy  through  life,  and  particularly  the  end  towards  which  he  would 
like  to  work.  Otherwise  it  will  be  hard  for  him  to  steer  his  ac- 
tions from  day  to  day  towards  the  goal  of  his  ambition. 

Van  Dyke,  writing  on  this  subject,  in  Counsels  by  the  Way,  to 
which  my  attention  has  been  called,  says  that  there  are  really 
only  four  practical  ends  for  which  men  and  women  can  work  in 
this  world,  and  he  names  them  as  Pleasure,  Wealth,  Fame  and 
Usefulness.  Whether  or  not  these  are  all,  we  need  not  discuss, 
but  granting  his  statement  is  correct,  I  am  inclined  to  conclude 
with  him  that  of  these  Usefulness  will  serve  man  the  best  and 
bring  the  greatest  happiness. 

But  Pleasure,  or  the  immediate  gratification  of  our  physical 
senses,  appetites  and  inclinations,  is  made  the  main  end  of  life 
by  many  people.  There  is  no  end  or  purpose  to  their  lives  outside 
of  pleasure-seeking,  and  this  terminates  in  itself;  it  accomplishes 
nothing  in  the  long  run,  there  is  no  purpose  or  object  in  it — "it 
leads  nowhere  and  leaves  nothing  behind  it,"  as  is  truly  said  by 
the  author  referred  to. 

He  says  further,  "A  pleasure-seeking  life  is  a  living  death, 
because  its  object  perishes  even  while  it  is  attained,  and  at  the 
end  nothing  is  left  of  it  but  dust  and  corruption." 

Charles  Wagner,  author  of  Courage,  says:  "Woe  to  him  who 
is  possessed  by  the  ideal  of  an  effeminate  and  enervating  exist- 
ence which  is  to  consist  only  in  strange  sights,  disturbing  sensa- 


EDITOR'S  TABLE.  745 

tions  and  excitement.     Moral  gangrene  has  set  in,  and  -ar/11  devour 
slowly,  undermining  all  the  living  forces  that  are  in  him." 
Robert  Burns  wrote: 

But  pleasures  are  like  poppies  spread, 
You  seize  the  flower  the  bloom  is  shed : 

Seneca,  the  old  Stoic  philosopher,  is  quoted  as  saying:  "Those 
who  have  permitted  pleasure  to  lead  the  van  *  *  *  lose  vir- 
tue altogether;  and  yet  they  do  not  possess  pleasure,  but  are 
possessed  by  it,  and  are  either  tortured  by  its  absence  or  choked 
by  its  excesses." 

Referring  to  the  Bible  to  obtain  the  religious  view  of  the 
question,  we  find  that  St.  Paul,  on  several  occasions  spoke  of 
the  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the  pleasure-seekers,  "whose  end 
is  destruction,  whose  God  is  tneir  belly,  whose  glory  is  their 
shame,  who  mind  earthly  things."  Again  he  declares,  "Ye  have 
lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  have  been  wanton, 
go  to  now,  weep  and  howl  for  your  miseries  that  shall  come  upon 
you."  And  again  as  to  women, "She  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead 
while  she  liveth." 

Calmly  viewing  these  sayings,  and  hundreds  of  others  of  a 
similar  nature  to  be  found  in  other  good  books,  and  hearing  also 
the  experiences  and  warnings  of  many  more  wise  men  who  live  in 
our  time  and  settlements,  who  are  exemplary  shepherds  of  the 
people  in  our  many  Church  organizations,  and  who  are  constantly 
giving  warning  against  excessive  pleasure-seeking,  the  thoughtful 
youncr  man  must  confess  that  Pleasure  is  not  the  goal  that  he 
would  seek,— that  the  man  would  seek  who  desires  to  make  the  best 

out  of  life. 

The  wise  man  is,  therefore,  going  to  steer  his  course  away 
from  the  living  death  of  pleasure-seeking.  He  is  not  going  into  bond- 
age or  debt  to  buy  automobiles  and  other  costly  equipages  to  keep 
pace  with  the  rash  of  fashionable  pleasure-seeking,  in  this  respect. 
He  is  n  >t  going  to  borrow  money  to  satisfy  the  popular  craze  for 
traveling  in  Europe  or  in  our  own  country  with  no  purpose  in 
view  but  pleasure.  He  is  not  going  to  grow  nervous  and  gray  in  a 
stru^le  for  means  that  his  wife  and  daughter,  for  mere  pleasure, 
mayTpend  the  summer  at  costly,  fashionable  resorts,  or  in  distant 
iands.      It  is  true  that  there  are  many  in  our  Community  who  do 


746  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

not  appear  to  be  wise,  and  who  are  doing  just  these  and  other  fool- 
ish acts  for  so-called  pleasure. 

It  has  been  said  by  good  authority  that  no  other  city  in  the 
United  States  in  proportion  to  population  spends  so  much  in 
amusements  as  Salt  Lake  City.  The  time  and  money  wasted  in  the 
kind  of  pleasure-seeking  which  "leads  nowhere  and  leaves  noth- 
ing behind  it"  is  appalling,  and  the  number  of  people  who  are 
"choked  by  its  excesses,"  and  who  "live  in  pleasure,  and  yet  are 
dead  while  they  live,"  must  fill  the  sober  citizen  with  consternation. 

Go  into  these  streets  after  the  close  of  business  and  remain 
until  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  behold  the  thousands  of  peo- 
ple hurrying  to  and  fro  in  the  wild  rush  for  the  resorts  and  thea- 
tres. See  both  the  well-to-do  and  the  poor,  both  those  who  can 
afforj  it  and  those  who  cannot!  Whole  families  who  cannot  meet 
their  legitimate  obligations  for  a  living,  but  must  run  into  debt 
for  the  necessaries  of  life,  are  knosvn  to  go  week  after  week  to 
this  or  that  theatre,  or  to  this  or  that  resort;  to  spend  their  means 
in  the  mad  rush  for  nowhere,  and  in  the  thri  lling  excitement  of 
some  new  pleasure  device,  having  neither  peace  nor  purpose.  The 
restlessness  of  it  all  is  something  to  be  wondered  at,  and  the  peo- 
ple to  be  pitied. 

The  result  of  this  hunt  for  pleasure  and  excitement  and  for 
keeping  pace  with  what  only  the  very  wealthy  can  but  ought  not 
to  do,  is  that  many  are  forced  to  undertake  all  kinds  of  illegiti- 
mate schemes  to  obtain  money  to  gratify  the  tendency.  Hence 
the  growth  of  financial  immorality.  Many  underhanded  methods  are 
adopted  to  obtain  means,  and  even  cheating  and  lying  and  deceiv- 
ing friends  and  neighbors  are  frequently  resorted  to  in  order  that 
money  may  be  obtained  to  gratify  this  inordinate  desire  for  pleas- 
ure. The  story  is  told  of  one  good  lady  who  got  flour  at  her 
grocer's  on  credit, and  sold  it  for  cash  at  a  bargain  to  get  money  to 
go  pleasure-seeking.  Thus  the  morals  are  corrupted.  This 
applies  to  rich  and  poor  alike. 

You  men  whj  are  sensible  fathers,  is  this  course  worth 
while? 

You  young  men  who  have  a  goal  in  sight,  is  this  the  course 

to  take  to  fit  your  purpose  and  to  get  the  best  results  out  of  life? 

Without  discussing  wealth  and  fame,  shall  we  not  call  a  halt  in 


EDITOR'S  TABLE.  747 

this  pleasure  craze,  and  go  about  the  legitimate  business  of  true 
Latter-day  Saints, which  is  to  desire  and  strive  to  be  of  some  use  in 
the  world?  Shall  we  not  instead  do  something  to  increase  the  gen- 
uine joy  and  welfare  and  virtue  of  mankind  as  well  as  our  own  by 
helping  to  bear  the  burdens  under  which  the  toilers  are  groaning, 
by  rendering  loving,  devoted  and  unselfish  service  to  our  fellow 
men?  Joseph  F.  Smith. 


MESSAGES  FROM  THE  MISSIONS. 


The  headquarters  of  the  Japanese  mission  has  been  moved  to  No.  81 
Yakuojimae  Machi,  Ushigome  Ku,  Tokyo.  The  move  was  made  on  May  day,  and 
the  weather  was  delightful.  The  Era  is  promised  some  good  pictures  of  the  new 
offices,  together  with  a  brief  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  mission,  in  the 
near  future. 

The  officers  and  teachers  of  the  Nineteenth  ward  Sunday  school  recently 
passed  resolutions  of  esteem  for  Elder  Daniel  J.  Lang,  the  faithful  superin- 
tendent of  the  school,  for  whom  they  held  a  farewell  reunion  prior  to  his  de- 
parture on  a  mission.  He  was  given  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  and  presented  with 
a  signet  ring  and  a  copy  of  the  resolutions  of  esteem.  The  best  wishes  of  the 
officers  and  school  were  expressed  in  his  behalf  that  he  may  have  success  while  on 
his  second  mission  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  republics  of  Switzerland  and 
France. 

Elder  William  A .  Morton,  who  has  held  the  position  of  associate  editor  of  the 
Millennial  Star  since  August  30,  1906,  sailed  for  Utah  on  the  27th  of  May, 
1909,  and  arrived  in  Salt  Lake  City  in  due  time.  Elder  Morton  has  labored  effi- 
ciently and  devotedly  as  preacher  and  writer,  aDd  has  accomplished  a  great  work  in 
the  mission  field  where  he  has  been  laboring,  especially  in  the  Sabbath  schools. 
President  Penrose,  of  the  European  Mission,  gives  him  special  commendation  as  a 
valiant  defender  of  the  great  cause  of  the  Latter- day  Kingdom,  and  as  an  expo- 
nent and  defender  of  the  faith.  We  welcome  him  home,  and  wish  him  a  prosper- 
ous and  useful  career  in  Zion. 

The  work  of  the  elders  who  have  been  laboring  in  Vancouver,  B.  C,  as  re- 
ported to  the  Era  by  Elder  James  H.  Page,  may  be  judged  by  the  words  of  the 
most  prominent  (but  prejudiced)  newspaper  of  the  city,  The  Vancouver  Prov- 
ince The  words  are,  "How  many  missionaries  have  they  [the  'Mormons']  in 
this  city''  How  many  dozen,  rather?  Is  there  a  house  at  which  their  pamphlets 
have  not  been  left?' '  "  As  president  of  the  conference, ' '  says  Elder  Page,  "I  am 
sorry  that  the  number  of  elders  intimated  in  the  paper  is  incorrect,  but  the  fact 
is  that  our  pamphlets  have  been  left  at  every  house  that  would  accept  them,  and 


748 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


many  books,  and  some  of  the  people  are  accepting  the  gospel."     A  photo  of  the 
elders  laboring  in  British  Columbia  and  B^llingham,  Wash.,  is  here  given: 


Elders  of  Vancouver,  B.  C. 

Back  row:  James  H.  Page,  E.  J.  Eliason,  Lawrence  C.  White.      Middle  row: 
William  Brady,  Geo.  R.  Karen.   Front:  Wilford  E.  Parry. 

One  of  the  important  items  in  the  annual  reports  of  General  Secretary  Alpha 
J.  Higgs  of  the  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.,  is  a  statement  of  twenty-six  Mutual  Improvement 
Associations  outside  of  the  organized  stakes  of  the  Church.  These  consisted  of 
California  2,  Eastern  States  5,  Independence  4,  Leuwarden,  Holland  1,  Sweden 
6,  Samoa  2,  Southern  States  4,  Turkey  2.  The  report  from  Hawaii  did  not  arrive. 
In  the  mission  reports  received  there  are  536  permanent  members  enrolled,  415 
active  members,  with  206  belonging  to  the  Church  between  14  and  45  who  are 
not  enrolled.  The  average  attendance  including  visitors  is  457.  The  total 
number  of  meetings  held  was  620,  with  299  manual  lessons  completed;  4,430 
home  preparations  are  reported,  and  two  libraries  of  150  bound  volumes.  The 
South  African  Mission  reports  no  Mutual  Improvement  Associations  yet  organized. 


Elder  B.  F.  Cummings,  who  for  two  and  a  half  years  has  edited  the  splendid 
U.  S.  mission  magazine,  Liahona  the  Elder's  Journal,  Independence,  Mo.,  has 
been  released  to  return  home,  and  his  farewell  is  found  in  the  issue  of  June  19, 
which  closes  the  sixth  volume. 


PRIESTHOOD  QUORUMS'  TABLE. 


Make  the  Lessons  as  Practical  as  Possible.— Quite  a  number  of  bishops 
report  that  the  second  part  in  the  Priesthood  Quorum  lessons,  as  outlined  in  the 
study  for  this  year,  has  not  been  of  great  value  to  the  Priesthood  quorums  be- 
cause the  first,  or  theoretical  part,  has  occupied  nearly  all  the  recitation  time; 
hence,  only  little  has  been  done  to  practice  what  has  been  learned.  The  object 
in  view  in  having  two  parts  to  the  lesson  was  to  impress  the  importance  of  put- 
ting into  practice  the  principles  of  the  gospel  and  performing  the  duties  that  per- 
tain to  the  Priesthood— as  well  as  learning  what  these  principles  and  duties  are. 
If  any  part  of  the  lesson  ought  to  be  passed  over  with  little  consideration,  it 
would  seem  to  us  to  be  the  theoretical  part,  if  the  first  part  can  so  be  called,— 
not  the  second,  or  practical  part.  There  is  no  mistaking  the  fact  that  theory, 
doctrine  and  principles  are  of  only  small  value,  unless  they  are  made  to  direct  the 
life  and  actions  and  daily  conduct  of  the  person  who  studies  them.  If  as  a  people 
we  lack  either,  it  is  in  the  practice,  rather  than  in  the  knowledge  of  theory  of 
doctrines  and  duties  of  our  religion.  Religion  is  of  little  value  to  a  person, 
familiar  though  he  is  with  its  principles  and  duties,  if  he  does  not  interweave  into 
the  daily  actions  of  his  life  its  theories.  Religion  is  doing,  not  al- 
together knowing,  and  it  should  be  remembered  that  we  learn  to  do  by 
doing,  so  that  if  we  desire  to  put  our  knowledge  inlo  practice,  the  best  thing  to 
do  is  to  practice  our  religion.  The  second  part  of  the  lesson,  then,  instead  of 
being  slighted  or  eliminated,  should  receive  special  and  particular  attention;  and 
in  every  quorum  some  individual  practical  work  should  be  performed.  We  repeat 
that  this  is  even  more  important  than  that  the  members  of  the  quorums  should  be 
familiar  with  the  theory,  while  they  do  no  actual  work.  It  would  seem  wise, 
then,  not  to  do  away  with  the  practical  part,  but  rather  to  proceed  with  greater 
interest  and  energy  into  the  ways  by  which  practical  work  may  be  performed 
among  the  people  as  well  as  in  the  daily  life  of  the  individual— ways  sought  to  be 
made  plain  by  the  second  part  in  the  lessons  of  the  Course. 

"What  Constitutes  Good  'Mormons?'  "—  This  question  is  answered 
fully  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  the  answer  emphasizes  the  importance  of  prac- 
tical religion.  When  Alma  the  first  had  converted  a  number  of  the  people  of  King 
Noah,  to  whom  the  martyr  Prophet  Abinudi  had  taught  the  gospel,  and  these 
people  were  ready  to  be  baptized  into  the  Church,  Alma  gave  a  splendid  answer 
to  the  question  above  propounded;  and  this  is  the  substance  of  what  he  considered 
constituted  good  "Mormons"  in  those  days: 

First,  They  were  to  have  a  desire  to  be  willing  to  bear  one  another's  burdens 
that  they  might  be  light. 

Second,  They  were  to  possess  a  desire  to  be  willing  to  mourn  with  those  who 

mourn. 

Third,  To  comfort  those  who  stand  in  need  of  comtort. 


750  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

Fourth,  To  stand  as  witnesses  for  God,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  things,  and  in 
all  places  even  until  death. 

Fifth,  They  were  to  observe  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy. 

Sixth,  To  thank  God  every  day  of  their  lives;  have  no  contention,  possess 
one  faith,  one  baptism,  and  have  their  hearts  knit  together  in  unity  and  love. 

Seventh,  Labor  with  their  own  hands  for  their  support,  particularlv  those 
holding  the  priesthood,  that  they  might  wax  strong  in  the  spirit,  and  teach  with 
power  and  authority. 

Eight,  Meet  weekly,  and  also  as  often  as  possible,  to  teach  each  other  and 
worship  the  Lord. 

Ninth,  Impart  of  their  substance  of  their  own  free  will,  everyone  according 
to  that  which  he  has,  to  the  priests  in  need,  and  to  every  needy,  naked  soul. 

Tenth,  Walk  uprightly  before  God,  imparting  to  one  another,  both  tempor- 
ally and  spiritually,  according  to  their  needs  and  wants. 

Observe  how  practical  and  helpful  and  untheoretical  every  one  of  these  re- 
quirements are,  and  what  constant  labor  is  required  to  observe  them.  If  these 
requirements  were  characteristic  of  the  early  Saints  upon  this  continent,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  similar  qualifications  shall  be  possessed  by  the  Latter- 
day  Saints,  in  order  that,  like  the  early  Saints,  they  "may  be  redeemed  of  God 
and  be  numbered  with  those  of  the  first  resurrection  that  they  may  have  eternal 
life."  It  will  be  a  refreshing  exercise  for  the  members  of  the  Priesthood  quo- 
rums to  read  once  more  the  story  of  the  organization  of  the  Church  of  Christ  by 
Alma,  as  found  in  Mosiah,  chapters  17  and  18,  particularly  observing  how 
"Mormonism"  means  practical  work,  and  every-day  helpfulness. 

Occasional  Opportunity  for  Testimony  Bearing  and  Fellowship. — 

While  in  the  main  it  is  desirable  that  there  should  be  close  adherence  to  the  les- 
sons prescribed  in  the  Seventy's  class  meetings,  yet  we  are  of  opinion  that  occa- 
sionally there  should  be  given  opportunity  for  testimony  bearing,  for  the  expres- 
sion of  fellowship  one  for  another  among  quorum  members,  for  admonitions  to 
faithful  performance  of  duty,  reminding  the  members  of  their  moral  obligations 
as  Church  members  and  men  holding  the  holy  priesthood.  Whenever,  at  our 
regular  meetings,  the  lesson  is  completed  and  thirty  or  forty  minutes  remain 
before  the  time  of  dismissal,  the  president  could  easily  direct  that  the  remainder 
of  the  time  be  given  for  these  miscellaneous  purposes,  and  the  members  should  be 
encouraged  to  avail  themselves  of  these  opportunities.  And  this  can  be  done 
without  halting  the  progress  of  the  quorum  through  the  lessons  prescribed.  It 
should  be  understood  that  no  text  book  can  supplant  the  living  teacher;  and  no 
prescribed  course  of  study  should  be  thought  to  hinder  the  opportunity  for  spiritual 
exercises  in  our  meetings .  We  desire  that  our  presidents,  while  following  in  the 
main  the  lines  that  are  drawn  should  exercise  their  ingenuity,  and  that  they  impress 
their  individuality  upon  the  work  outlined.  It  only  requires  a  little  tact  on  the 
part  of  our  presiding  officers  to  manage  our  course  of  study  in  a  way  to  make  for 
the  moral  and  spiritual  development,  as  well  as  for  the  intellectual  training  of  our 
members  in  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Presidents,  class  leaders,  take  thought;  work 
out  schemes  of  treatment  of  the  works  supplied,  and  intelligently  manage  the 
affairs  of  the  quorum.  Make  your  presidency  mean  something.  Do  not  become 
stereotyped  in  your  work .  We  rely  upon  you  to  interpret  the  spirit  of  the  Seven- 
ty's work  in  your  respective  quorums.  Will  you  disappoint  us  in  these  matters? 
We  hope  not,  and  we  believe  you  will  not  disappoint  us. 


MUTUAL  WORK. 


M.   I.   A.  ANNUAL  CONVENTIONS. 

At  the  recent  M.  I.  A.  conference  in  Salt  Lake  City,  the  following  appoint- 
ments for  the  annual  conventions  throughout  the  stakes  of  Zion  were  read.  In 
case  any  of  the  dates  are  unsatisfactory,  our  stake  superintendents  are  requested 
to  consult  with  the  officers  of  the  Young  Ladies  Associations  and  with  the  Presi- 
dency of  the  Stake  and  make  other  dates  which  will  be  acceptable  to  all  con- 
cerned, and  then  notify  the  General  Boards  of  any  change: 

Box  Elder, — August  22. 

Beaver,  Emery,  Malad,  San  Luis,  Hyrum,  Pocatello,  Fremont,  — August 
29. 

Bear  River,  Taylor,  Cassia,  Teton,  Liberty,  Jordan,  Weber,  Parowan,  North 
Davis,  San  Juan,  Sevier,  Yellowstone,  Rigby, — September  5. 

Alberta,  Ensign,  Star  Valley,  South  Sanpete,  Wasatch,  Cache,  Wayne, 
Uintah,  Granite,  South  Davis,  Tooele,  Bannock, — September  12. 

St.  George, — September  13. 

Big  Horn,  Oneida,  Blackfoot,  Summit,  Millard,  Pioneer,  Salt  Lake,  Pan- 
gaitch,  Juab,  Ogden,  North  Weber,  Nebo,— September  19. 

North  Sanpete,  Woodruff,  Union,  Benson,  Bingham,  Morgan,  Utah,  Kanab, 
Alpine,  Bear  Lake, — September  26. 

Dates  for  holding  the  conventions  of  the  Arizona  and  Mexico  Stakes  will  be 
given  hereafter. 


Y.   M.  M.   I.    A.  STATISTICAL  REPORT. 

The  annual  statistical  report  of  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Asso- 
ciations for  the  year  ending  May  31,  1909,  shows  that  there  are  629  associations, 
an  increase  of  one  over  1908.  Four  hundred  thirty-five  associations  are  graded,  an 
increase  of  34.  There  are  32,225  permanent  members  enrolled, which  is  a  decrease 
of  392,  but  the  active  members  enrolled  number  23,391  as  against  22,217  for 
last  year,  an  increase  of  1,174.  It  appears  that  there  are  12,752  boys  and  men 
between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  forty-five  not  enrolled,  which  is  a  decrease  of 


752  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

2,429.  There  are  1,210  members  away  from  home  attending  school;  1,097  en- 
rolled members  on  foreign  missions.  The  average  attendance  for  1909  was 
13,367;  24,114  meetings  were  held  thronghout  the  season;  13,840  manual  lessons 
were  completed .  There  were  38, 198  home  preparations  reported,  which  is  a  decrease 
of  2,856.  There  was  also  a  decrease  in  the  visits  of  the  stake  and  general  M.  I. 
A.  officers  by  271;  a  decrease  in  the  missionary  viBits  of  ward  officers,  of  171. 
In  the  200  libraries  reported  there  were  11,691  bound  volumes.  A  notable  feature 
this  year  was  a  complete  report,  with  the  exception  of  Bingham  Stake,  from  the 
61  stakes  of  Zion. 


M.  I.  A.    ANNUAL  CONFERENCE. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  Barratt  Hall  on  Saturday  Morning,  June  5,  at 
10  o'clock.  There  was  a  splendid  representative  gathering  of  officers,  every  stake 
in  the  Church  except  five  being  represented— Alberta,  Ensign,  Salt  Lake,  Snow- 
flake,  and  Teton. 

President  Joseph  F.  Smith  presided.  The  congregation  sang,  "Come  All  Ye 
Sons  of  Zion,"  and  prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  Benjamin  Goddard,  after  which 
the  congregation  sang,   "We  Thank  Thee,  O  God,  for  a  Prophet." 

The  senior  manual  was  considered  by  Dr.  George  H.  Brimhall  who  gave  a 
lesson,  taking  for  his  class  the  audience,  himself  being  the  teacher. 

The  junior  manual  on  Church  History  in  Biography  was  considered  by  Elder 
Douglas  M.  Todd  in  the  absence  of  Edward  H.  Anderson  who  was  confined  to  his 
home  with  typhoid  fever. 

THE  READING  COURSE. 

The  third  exercise  was  given  by  Elder  Joseph  W.  McMurrin  who  gave 
a  review  of  the  books  and  spoke  generally  upon  the  good  and  bad 
effects  of  reading.  It  appears  from  the  reports  that  in  1907,  with  a 
permanent  membership  of  30,650,  active  membership,  16,811,  750  read  one 
or  more  of  the  books  of  the  Reading  Course,  which  was  2.04  per  cent 
of  the  permanent  enrollment,  and  4  05  per  cent  of  the  active  enrollment. 
In  1908,  these  figures  stood  33,617;  22,217;  1,635;  or  4.09  per  cent  and  7.4 
per  cent;  while  in  1909,  the  permanent  membership  is  32,225;  active  member- 
ship, 23,391;  number  who  read  one  or  more  of  the  books,  1,332,  or  4.1  per  cent 
of  the  permanent  and  5.7  per  cent  of  the  active,  membership. 

Following  are  the  titles  of  the  Reading  Course  for  1909: 

For  the  Senior  Classes:— A ncient  America— Baldwin;  Courage— Wag- 
ner; The  Crisis— Churchill ;  Our  Inland  Sea— Lambourne. 

For  the  Juniors:— Life  of  Lincoln— Hapgood ;  John  Stevens'  Courtship 
— Susa  Young  Gates;  The  Castle  Builder— Nephi  Anderson. 

These  books  should  be  purchased  through  the  Era  office.  Elder  D.  M.  Todd 
will  later  explain  in  the  Era,  the  character  of  the  books,  so  that  the  different  classes 
of  readers  may  choose  the  books  most  suitable  for  them. 

Elder  McMurrin' s  talk  will  appear  in  full  later. 


MUTUAL  WORK.  753 

A  general  discussion  followed  each  exercise,  and  a  number  of  questions  were 
asked  concerning  different  departments  of  Mutual  Work. 

After  roll  call,  which  showed  284  visiting  officers  present,  the  congregation 
sang,  "Come,  Come  Ye  Saints,"  and  the  benediction  was  pronounced  by  Elder 
Francis  M.  Lyman. 

At  2  o'clock  the  officers  again  met  at  the  same  place  and  after  singing, 
"High  on  the  Mountain  Top, "  prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  A.  W.  Ivins.  The 
congregation  sang,  "0  Say  What  Is  Truth." 

ADDRESS  OF  THE  GENERAL  SUPERINTENDENCY. 

President  Joseph  F.  Smith  again  presided,  and  asked  Elder  B.  S.  Hinckley  to 
read  an  address  from  the  General  Superintendency  calling  attention  to  the  place 
and  privilege  which  the  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.  should  hold  and  enjoy  among  the  Latter-day 
Saints,  in  order  to  promote  harmony,  union  of  purpose,  and  the  best  interests  of 
all  concerned;  also  defining  the  field  for  the  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.,  now  that  the  Priest- 
hood Quorums  have  taken  up  the  study  of  formal  theology.  This  important  docu- 
ment to  our  officers  will  appear  in  full  in  a  future  issue  of  the  Era. 

After  the  reading  comments  were  made,  and,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Geo.  H.  Brim- 
hall,  the  address  was  unanimously  adopted. 

THE  ERA  AND  THE  FUND. 

Elder  Alpha  J.  Higgs,  in  the  absence  of  Elder  Heber  J.  Grant  who  was  at 
home  very  ill,  spoke  upon  the  Era,  giving  the  percent  of  subscription  in  each 
Stake.  It  appears  that  a  number  of  the  stakes  did  not  do  as  well  for  volume 
twelve  as  for  volume  eleven,  and  the  aggregate  circulation  wa3  lower  than  last 
year;  whereas,  other  stakes  did  much  better,  as  for  example,  Maricopa  obtained 
9.64  per  cent  of  the  Church  population  as  subscribers  for  the  Era;  Union,  8. 10; 
Bear  River,  7.75;  Box  Elder,  7.58;  Cassia,  6.72,  San  Juan,  6.26;  San  Luis,  6.07; 
Cache,  5.33;  Juarez,  5.54.  These  stakes  should  be  commended  for  their  energy; 
and  what  they  have  done  can  easily  be  done  in  each  stake,  if  the  work  is  pushed 
at  the  proper  time.  He  also  called  attention  to  the  necessity  of  superintendents 
and  ward  presidents  taking  the  matter  of  subscriptions  up  early  this  fall,  and 
getting  all  the  present  subscribers  to  renew  and  adding  a  number  of  others.  The 
officers  of  the  associations,  now  that  the  Era  is  also  the  organ  of  the  Priesthood, 
will  receive  great  aid  from  the  authorities  of  the  Church  and  the  Priesthood  Quo- 
rums, and  should  on  this  account  increase  the  circulation  for  volume  thirteen  be- 
yond anything  heretofore  experienced  in  th*  successful  history  of  the  Improve- 
ment Era. 

As  to  the  fund,  he  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  there  was  a  decrease  of 
$387  64  as  compared  with  1908.  A  new  feature  was  a  calculation  of  the  number 
of  cents  paid  by  each  active  member  enrolled  in  the  various  stakes  of  Zion.  The 
highest  per  cent  paid  by  any  stake  was  paid  by  San  Juan  and  Fremont  stakes, 
where  the  stake  paid  an  amount  equal  to  thirty- three  cents  and  twenty- seven 
cents  respectively  for  each  active  member.  Summit  paid  24  cents:  St.  Johns, 
20  cents;  South  Davis,  18  cents;  Bear  River,  18  cents;  Jordan,  18  cents;  Mari- 


754  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 

copa,  16  cents;  Star  Valley,  16  cents;  but  a  number  of  the  stakes  contributed 
per  capita  of  active  members  as  low  as  one  cent,  while  six  stakes  contributed 
nothing. 

"Systematic  and  Persistent  Work,"  was  the  subject  of  an  excellent  talk  by 
Elder  B.  S.  Hinckley.  This  will  be  printed  in  full  in  a  future  number  of  the  Era. 
General  discussion  followed.  A  number  of  the  members  of  the  Board  spoke  on 
politeness  and  morality,  and  other  ethical  topics  suggested  by  the  splendid  effort 
of  Brother  Hinckley. 

President  Francis  M.  Lyman  inquired  how  many  of  the  brethren  present  had 
been  on  missions,  and  upon  arising  it  was  ascertained  that  more  than  one-half  of 
those  present  had  been  on  missions  outside  of  Utah. 

GENERAL    OFFICERS. 

The  General  Superintendency  and  members  of  the  General  Board  were  pre- 
sented to  the  conference  and  unanimously  sustained  as  follows: 

Joseph  F.  Smith,  General  Superintendent;  Heber  J.  Grant  and  B.  H.  Roberts, 
Assistants. 

Aids:  Elders  Francis  M.  Lyman,  John  Henry  Smith,  J.  Golden  Kimball, 
Junius  F.  Wells,  Rodney  C.  Badger,  George  H.  Brimhall,  Edward  H.  Anderson, 
Douglas  M.  Todd,  Thomas  Hull,  Nephi  L.  Morris,  Willard  Done,  Le  Roi  C.  Snow, 
Frank  Y.  Taylor,  Rudger  Clawson,  Rulon  S.  Wells,  Joseph  W.  McMurrin,  Reed 
Smoot,  Bryant  S.  Hinckley,  Moses  W.  Taylor,  B.  F.  Grant,  Henry  S.  Tanner, 
Hyrum  M.  Smith,  Joseph  F.  Smith,  Jr.,  0.  C.  Beebe,  Lewis  T.  Cannon,  Benjamin 
Goddard,  George  Albert  Smith,  Thomas  A.  Clawson,  Louis  A.  Kelsch,  Lyman  R. 
Martineau,  Charles  H.  Hart,  John  A.  Widtsoe,  James  H.  Anderson,  A.  W.  Ivins, 
and  Alpha  J.  Higgs,  General  Secretary. 

Elder  Evan  Stephens  for  many  years  music  director  of  the  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.,  and 
Elder  Horace  S.  Ensign,  Assistant  Director,  were  honorably  released  from  these 
positions  on  account  of  both  being  very  much  occupied  in  other  labors. 

The  congregation  sang,  "Lord  Dismiss  us  with  Thy  Blessing,"  and  benedic- 
tion was  pronounced  by  Elder  James  H.  Anderson. 

On  Saturday  evening  at  7:30  o'clock,  in  the  Assembly  Hall,  a  conjoint  meet- 
ing of  the  M.  I.  A.  was  held.  President  Francis  M.  Lyman  presided.  The  con- 
gregation sang,  "High  on  the  Mountain  Top."  Prayer  was  offered  by  Elder 
Joseph  F.  Smith,  Jr.,  and  the  congregation  sang,  "Earth  with  Her  Ten  Thousand 
Flowers."  Elder  George  Q.  Morris  spoke  on  the  necessity  of  co-operation  be- 
tween the  young  men  and  the  young  ladies  in  their  conferences,  conventions, 
travels,  entertainments,  and  planning  of  lessons.  This  was  followed  by  a  general 
discussion. 

The  Farmers  Ward  Ladies  Chorus  sang,  "Christ  Is  Risen,"  and  President 
Lottie  P.  Baxter,  of  Liberty  Stake,  spoke  on  "Preliminary  Programs." 

Dr.  George  H.  Brimhall  followed  on  the  subject,  "Order,  How  to  Secure  It." 
This  speech  will  be  printed  in  full  in  a  future  number  of  the  Era.  The  congre- 
gation sang,  "Come,  Come,  Ye  Saints,"  and  benediction  was  pronounced  by  Sister 
Julia  M.  Brixen. 


MUTUAL  WORK.  755 

On  Sunday  morning,  June  6,  at  10  o'clock,  in  the  large  Tabernacle,  a  con- 
joint testimony  meeting  was  held,  President  Joseph  F-  Smith  presiding.  The  con- 
gregation saLg.  "Redeemer  of  Israel,"  and  prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  J.  Golden 
Kimball,  after  which  the  congregation  again  sang,  "0  Say  What  Is  Truth?"  Pre- 
sident Smith  offered  general  instructions  in  regard  to  testimonies  and  testimony 
meetings,  expressing  his  delight  at  meeting  with  the  large  congregation  of  work- 
ers, associates  and  sympathizers  with  the  great  cause  of  Mutual  Improvement,  and 
bearing  a  strong  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  and  the  mission  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph.  Quite  a  number  of  men  and  women  bore  their  testimonies  after 
which  the  congregation  sang,  "Praise  to  the  Man  Who  Communed  with  Jehovah;" 
also,  "We  Thank  Thee,  0  God,  for  a  Prophet,"  and  benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Sister  Mary  Connelly. 

At  2  o'clock  p.  m.  the  conjoint  conference  again  assembled  in  the  Taber- 
nacle, and  the  Tabernacle  choir  sang,  "Sweet  is  the  Work,  My  God,  My  King." 
Prayer  by  Elder  Joseph  W.  McMurrin.  The  choir  and  congregation  sang,  "0  Ye 
Mountains  High."  Elder  George  F.  Richards  spoke  on  Primary  Associations  an- 
nouncing that  the  First  Presidency  had  appointed  Elders  Hyrum  M.  Smith  and 
George  F.  Richards  to  have  general  supervision  under  the  First  Presidency  of  the 
Church  over  the  Primaries,  and  to  aid  the  General  Board  and  Primary  workers. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir  sang  the  anthem,  "Hosannah,"  following  which  Elder 
Junius  F.  Wells  spoke  on  "Chaperonage,"  followed  by  Sister  Ruth  May  Fox  on 
the  same  subject.  The  Tabernacle  choir  sang  "Hallelujah,"  and  the  benediction 
was  pronounced  by  Sister  May  B.  Anderson. 

At  7:30  o'clock  p.  m.  the  Tabernacle  again  contained  a  large  congregation, 
at  the  third  conjoint  meeting,  President  Joseph  F.  Smith  presiding.  The  Taber- 
nacle choir  and  congregation  sang,  "Our  God,  We  Raise  to  Thee, "  and  prayer 
was  offered  by  Elder  Rulon  S.  Wells.     A.  C.  Crawford  sang  a  solo. 

Sister  Vilate  Peart  spoke  for  the  Primary  Associations,  and  the  Tabernacle 
choir  sang,  "0  Gladsome  Light."  President  Francis  M  Lyman  spoke  on  amuse- 
ments and  recreation,  and  his  remarks  will  be  printed  in  full  in  the  Era  here- 
after. 

Sister  Hazel  Graves  of  South  Sanpete  sang  a  soprano  solo,  '  'The  Dawn  of 
Hope,"  followed  by  remarks  by  Sister  Alice  K.  Smith.  The  Tabernacle  choir  sang 
the  anthem,  "I  Waited  for  the  Lord,"  and  benediction  was  pronounced  by  Presi- 
dent John  R.  Winder.     The  conference  adjourned  for  one  year. 

In  many  respects  the  conference  was  a  very  important  one,  especially  the 
address  prepared  by  the  General  Superintendency  which  points  out  conditions  that 
make  a  new  movement  in  the  Improvement  Associations  advisable,  and  which 
recommends  that  the  authorities  of  the  stakes,  wards,  and  missions  of  the  Church, 
lend  their  support  to  the  Mutual  Improvement  Associations  in  their  endeavors  to 
carry  out  their  enlarged  program  and  new  line  of  activity. 

The  entertainment  given  by  the  General  Boards  to  the  Stake  officers,  at  the 
Granite  Stake  House,  was  an  enjoyable  and  successful  affair. 


EVENTS  AND  COMMENTS, 

BY   EDWARD   H.    ANDERSON. 


The  Philipine  Assembly.— On  the  20th  of  May,  the  Philippine  Assembly 
adjourned,  and  just  before  adjourning  Speaker  Osmena  offered  resolutions  in- 
structing the  Philippine  delegates  at  Washington  to  work  for  the  granting  of  im- 
mediate independence  to  the  islands.  This  resolution  was  adopted  without  dis- 
sent, all  the  Nationalists  voting  for  it,  while  the  minority  party,  or  Progressives, 
were  permitted  by  their  own  request  to  refrain  from  voting. 

What  Utah  Stands  For.— Superintendent  of  Schools  A.  C.  Nelson,  in 
speaking  about  Utah  recently  at  Heber,  Wasatch  county,  at  a  school  commence- 
ment, related  an  incident  of  a  man  in  Oklahoma  who  asked  this  question:  "What 
does  Utah  stand  for?"  Mr.  Nelson  quickly  replied:  "This  is  what  Utah — 
U-T-A-H — stands  for: — U  for  union  and  unity;  T  for  truth  and  tenacity  and  tol- 
erence;  A  for  ambition  and  ability:  and  H  for  honor  and  happiness." 

President  Lund  Leaves  for  Eurooe.— President  Anthon  H.  Lund,  wife 
and  daughter,  left  for  Europe  to  visit  most  of  the  European  capitals  and  a  num- 
ber of  Church  conferences,  also  President  Lund's  birthplace  in  Aalborg,  Den- 
mark. They  sailed  from  New  York  on  June  19.  President  Lund  while  in 
Europe  will  visit  the  conferences  in  Denmark,  also  those  in  Norway  and  Sweden 
and  be  expects  to  return  home  through  Germany  and  France.  We  wish  him  a 
pleasant  voyage. 

Affairs  in  Turkey.— On  May  20,  the  new  Sultan  of  Turkey  expressed  deep 
regret  for  the  massacres  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  in  his  first  speech  from  the  throne  to 
the  Chamber  of  Deputies.  He  declared  these  atrocities  had  been  stopped  and 
measures  taken  to  punish  those  who  were  responsible,  and  that  with  God's  help 
such  events  would  not  again  occur  in  any  part  of  the  empire.  Efforts  have  been 
taken  under  the  patronage  of  the  Sultan  to  relieve  the  sufferers  at  Adana  and  else- 
where. 

Judge  Henderson  Dead.— Judge  Henry  P.  Henderson  died  on  the  3rd 
of  June,  1909,  in  Salt  Lake  City.  He  was  born  at  Otisco,  New  York. 
September,  22,  1843.  He  graduated  from  the  Lansing,  Michigan,  Agricultural 
College,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  came  to  Utah  in  1886,  having  been  appointed 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  territory  during  those  troublous 
days  in  Utah,  by  President  Cleveland.     He  lived  fifteen  years  in  Ogden,  and  later 


EVENTS  AND   COMMENTS. 


757 


came  to  Salt  Lake  City  where  he  has  practiced  law.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  in  1898,  and  has  continued  a  member,  with  the  exception  of 
two  years,  ULtil  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  highly  respected  citizen,  esteemed 
for  his  intellectual  abilities,  integrity  and  force  of  character. 

South  African  Union. — Another  important  step  has  just  been  consummated 
in  the  movement  for  a  closer  union  of  the  four  South  African  States — Cape  Col- 
ony, Orange  River  State,  Natal  and  the  Transvaal.  On  May  3,  the  second  Con- 
stitutional Convention  met  at  Bloemfontein,  and  on  the  14th  of  the  month  the 
revised  constitution  was  signed  by  the  delegates  The  constitution  as  now 
revised  went  back  to  the  four  Parliaments  for  approval.  It  was  passed  about  the 
middle  of  June  by  them,  and  a  delegation  headed  by  General  Botha,  who  was 
formerly  England's  stoutest  foe  in  the  Boer  War,  will  go  with  it  to  London  to 
receive  the  approval  of  Parliament.  A  commendable  thing  about  the  movement 
is  the  way  in  which  the  Boers,  the  British,  Africans  and  the  Rand  magnates  have 
joined  hands  in  the  effort  to  found  a  new  nation  on  a  basis  liberal  enough  for 
them  all  to  live  together  in  peace  and  prosperity. 

Salt- Wash  Arch.— This  arch  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  wonderful  south- 
eastern Utah,  and  is  located  at  what  is  known  as  Salt  Wash,  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  Moab,  Utah,  and  fifteen 
miles  from  Thompson's  Springs  Sta- 
tion on  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande 
Railway.  It  stands  upon  a  high 
mesa  about  five  miles  northeast  from 
the  Court  House  station,  on  the  mail 
line  between  Thompson's  and  Moab. 
The  best  way  to  reach  it  is  from 
Thompson's.  There  is  a  good  road 
from  that  station  to  Wolf's  Ranch, 
which  is  near  the  arch.  Mr.  William 
Howard,  U.  S.  Commissioner  at 
Huntington,  Utah,  has  favored 
the  Era  with  a  picture  from  which 
the  cut  is  taken.  He  has  not  him- 
self seen  the  arch,  but  from  what 
others  have  told  him  describes  it  as 
"a  wonder  to  look  at."  The  height 
of  the  arch  is  not  known,  but  a 
look  at  the  picture  will  convince 
any  one  that  it  is  a  very  imposing 
sight  and  one  of  the  many  wonders  in  formation  that  occur  in  the  deserts  of  Utah 
in  that  region.  To  the  right  of  the  arch  are  deep  rocky  canyons.  The  summits 
of  the  hills  surrounding  are  smooth  without  any  rock  ledges  near,  showing  that  it 
must  have  taken  ages  to  wear  away  the  surroundings  and  leave  the  arch  as,  it 
now  is. 


The  Salt  Wash  Arch,  a  wonderful 
Phenomenon  in  Southern  Utah. 


758 


IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  Situation  in  Cuba.— The  condition  of  the  little  Island  Republic  since 
the  withdrawal  of  the  United  States  troops  last  fall  has  become  a  source  of  much 
disquietude  on  the  part  of  the  officials  of  the  United  States  government.  There 
can  be  no  mistake  about  the  fact  that  the  island  has  fallen  into  shocking  condi- 
tions under  the  new  government  now  controlling  affairs.  A  dispatch  says  that 
some  small  effort  has  been  made  to  supply  funds,  tbe  Cuban  government  being  in 
debt  some  thirty  million  or  more,  but  the  endeavors  of  the  government  so  far 
have  consisted  in  the  restoration  of  the  lottery  and  of  cock  fighting.  It  is  also 
stated  that  there  is  a  bill  pending  in  Congress  to  revive  bull  fighting.  Twice 
has  the  United  States  interfered  to  save  this  republic,  yet  notwithstanding  the 
estimable  advantage  of  close  association  with  numerous  leading  American  citizens 
and  a  knowledge  of  American  methods  through  her  representatives  here,  quick 
advantage  has  been  taken  of  re-establishing  objectionable  institutions  to  which 
the  natives  have  long  been  accustomed  and  of  which  this  government  deprived 
them.  In  reply  to  a  request  of  the  presiding  Cuban  administration  at  Washington, 
it  has  been  decided  to  place  three  United  States  army  officers  on  duty  in  Cuba  to 
undertake  the  work  of  creating  a  well  disciplined  Cuban  army.  There  are  many 
people  in  Cuba  today  who  would  prefer  to  see  the  guardian  hand  of  the  United 
States  extended  over  Cuba  for  all  time;  and  it  is  about  safe  to  say  that  this  will 
doubtless  be  done  in  one  form  or  another,  either  by  annexation  or  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  protectorate,  the  latter  appearing  to  be  the  most  logical  and  perhaps 
the  easiest  to  consummate. 


Veteran's  Birthday.— Elder  K. 


Dr.  E.  G.  Cannon. 


N.  Winnie,  of  Nome,  Alaska,  reports  that 
on  February  4,  Elder  E.  G.  Cannon,  a 
veteran  of  the  Mexican  War,  and  the  old- 
est mining  man  in  that  part  of  Alaska, 
celebrated  his  eighty-fifth  birthday  anniver- 
sary with  some  eighteen  of  his  many 
friends,  at  his  home  which  is  the  meeting 
place  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  A  splen- 
did program  of  readings,  lecitations  and 
speeches  was  given,  and  a  dinner  prepared 
by  Sister  Grace  E.  Riggs  was  partaken  o 
to  the  enjoyment  of  all.  The  decorations 
in  the  home  consisted  of  colors  and  mottoes . 
Dr.  Cannon  responded  with  a  speech  in  which 
he  gave  the  secret  of  his  long  and  happy 
life — obedience  to  the  gospel.  Elder  K. 
N.  Winnie  read  a  poem  dedicated  to  Elder 
Cannon,  and  all  together  the  celebration 
was  very  enjoyable. 


Carnegie   Libraries— There  were  altogether,  up  to  Dec.  31,  1908,  in  all 
the  world  1,547  Carnegie  library  buildings.      Out  of  this  number  959  are  in  the 


EVENTS  AND  COMMENTS. 


759 


United  States,  325  in  England  and  Wales,  42  in  Ireland,  105  in  Scotland,  86  in 
Canada  and  14  in  New  Zealand.  Mr.  Carnegie  has  given  for  the  buildings,  in- 
cluding nearly  four  millions  for  College  libraries,  $51,596,903.  He  has  only  given 
the  buildings.  The  community  that  accepts  the  gift  gives  the  site  and  promises 
to  maintain  the  library.  In  this  way  he  has  induced  the  people  to  do  perpetual 
work  in  a  good  cause;  has  stimulated  cities  and  towns  to  do  really  great  things  in 
a  few  years  in  bringing  good  books  for  the  poorest  and  supplying  its  inhabitants 
with  free  libraries.  Mr.  Carnegie  gave  his  first  gift  in  1886  to  the  Pittsburg 
library,  when  he  founded  the  Carnegie  Alcove  of  scientific  and  technical  books  in 
that  library.  The  last  he  gave  was  for  a  library  building  in  the  Fiji  Islands.  He 
donated  $7,500  for  a  building,  provided  the  inhabitants  of  Fiji  would  assure  $750 
annually  for  its  maintenance.  The  promise  was  made  and  the  library  was  started 
at  Serva  last  September.  In  Idaho  there  are  six  Carnegie  libraries  for  which  Mr. 
Carnegie  gave  $73,500,  at  Boise,  Lewiston,  Moscow,  Mountain  Home,  Nampa 
and  Pocatello.  In  Utah  we  have  three,  costing  $52,500,  at  Eureka, 
Provo  and  Ogden.  In  Wyoming  nine,  costing  $161,000,  at  Caspar,  Cheyenne, 
Douglas,  Evanston,  Green  River,  Lander.  Laramie,  Rock  Springs,  Sheridan. 
One  in  Reno,  Nevada,  $15,000.  These  facts  are  gleaned  from  a  statement  of 
Mr.  Carnegie  himself  in  a  recent  number  of  Collier's  Weekly. 

Edward  Everett  Hale  died  at  his  home  in  Roxbury,  Mass.,   on  the  early 
morning  of  June  10,  and  the  whole  country  mourns.     Rev.   Dr.  Hale  was  chaplain 

of  the  United  States  Senate,  a  preacher  of 
patriotism,  a  Unitarian  divine,  a  philanthropist, 
an  author,  a  journalist,  a  lover  of  peace,  and 
everybody's  friend.  His  Man  Without  a  Coun- 
try is  a  classic,  and  In  His  Name  is  equally 
popular  and  a  favorite  in  many  lands.  He  was 
the  most  voluminous  of  American  writers,  and 
includes  over  seventy  titles,  one  of  his  latest, 
if  not  his  latest  being  Memories  of  a  Hundred 
Years,  1 1900).  Mr.  Hale  was  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  April  3,  1822,  and  was  the  son  of 
Nathan  Hale,  the  first  editor  of  the  Boston 
Daily  Advertiser.  He  was  educated  at  the 
Boston  Latin  School  and  Harvard  College,  later 
studied  theology,  was  pastor  of  the  Church  of 
Unity,  Worchester,  Mass,  from  1846  56,  and 
later  of  the  South  Congregational  Society, 
Boston,  of  which  he  has  been  pastor  emeritus 

from  1901      He  was  a  popular  preacher,  and  the  organizer  of  many  humanitarian 

Z^     He  was  active  in  religious  and  social  enterprises  to  the   ast      He  was 
•  ,1-1  a  broad  svmpathy  for  all  Americans  and  everything  American. 

XS71 it  ^  with T^g  interests,  he  had  boundless  confidence  in  the 

future  of  our  country  and  her  people. 


Edward  Everett  Hale. 


760  1MPROVEMEN1  ERA. 

Henry  Huttlestone  Rogers. — Well  known  as  the  vice-president  and  chief 
head  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and  one  of  the  foremost  financiers  of  the 
United  States,  died  suddenly  in  New  York,  May  19,  in  his  sixty-ninth  year. 
When  he  was  a  boy  he  was  very  poor,  and  in  his  youth  sold  newspapers,  drove  a 
grocery  wagon,  and  worked  as  a  brakeman  on  a  railroad.  When  the  oil  fields  in 
Pennsylvania  were  discovered  he  went  there  and  became  early  associated  with 
Mr.  Rockefeller  in  the  development  of  the  oil  interests.  He  was  the  chief 
inventor  of  the  pipe  line  system  of  transporting  oil.  When  he  died  he  was  very 
wealthy,  having  large  interests  in  gas  companies,  banks,  copper  mines,  and  rail- 
roads, and  his  fortune  is  estimated  at  from  forty  to  seventy-five  million  dollars. 
He  was  very  stern  and  exacting  in  his  business  life,  but  is  said  by  many  to  have 
been  very  kind  and  charitable  in  his  private  career.  Hence  he  is  described:  "as 
the  most  ravenous  wolf  that  ever  breathed  in  Wall  Street,"  while  on  the  other 
hand,  Helen  Keller  and  Mark  Twain,  who  were  particular  friends  of  Mr.  Rogers, 
give  him  unstinted  praise  as  a  good  and  a  kind  man.  In  a  letter  to  the  Boston 
Transcript,  Miss  Keller  gives  him  a  high  character,  and  closes  with  these  words: 
"He  had  the  imagination  and  the  vision  and  the  heart  of  a  great  man,  and  I  count 
it  one  of  the  most  precious  privileges  of  my  life  to  have  had  him  for  my  friend. 
The  memory  of  his  friendship  will  grow  sweeter  and  brighter  each  year,  until  he 
takes  my  hand  and  we  gather  roses  together  in  the  gardens  of  Paradise." 

Death  of  Distinguished  People.— On  the  9th  of  April  F.  Maiion  Craw- 
ford, the  American  novelist  died  after  a  long  illness  at  his  home  in  Sorrento,  Italy; 
on  the  same  day  Ethan  Allen  Hitchcock,  ex-Secretary  of  the  Interior,  died  at 
Washington.  On  the  day  following  Algernon  Charles  Swinburne,  the  distinguished 
English  poet  and  essayist,  died,  aged  seventy- two.  These  three  noted  characters 
passed  away  almost  simultaneously.  Swinburne  was  considered  the  foremost  Eng- 
lish poet  since  the  death  of  Tennyson.  His  poems  and  dramas  fill  eleven  volumes. 
Mr.  Crawford  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  voluminous  of  contemporary  novelis  t s, 
and  as  he  died  at  the  early  age  of  fifty-five  his  death  will  be  distinctly  felt  in 
American  literature.  His  first  story,  Mr.  Isaacs,  was  published  in  1882,  and 
his  last,  The  White  Sister,  this  year.  He  was  the  son  of  American  parents,  but 
was  born  in  Italy,  spent  most  of  his  life  there  and  died  there.  Mr.  Hitchcock 
was  minister  and  embassador  to  Russia  in  1897-8,  and  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
from  December,  1898,  to  March,  1907.  He  died  in  his  seventy-fourth  year.  He 
was  spesially  energetic  in  prosecuting  land  frauds,  their  being  eighty-nine  con- 
victions during  the  last  five  years  of  his  service. 

William  Morris  Stewart,  U.  S.  Senator  from  Nevada  from  1865  to  1875,  and 
again  from  1887  to  1905,  died  April  23,  aged  nearly  82  years.  He  made  a  large 
fortune  in  mining.  He  bolted  his  party  in  1892,  and  voted  for  free  coinage  of 
silver,  but  later  returned  to  the  ranks  of  the  Republican  party. 

Madam  Helena  Modjeska,  noted  American  actress,  died  April  8,  in  her  65th 
year.  She  was  born  in  Poland  and  came  to  this  country  in  1876  and  first  ap- 
peared on  the  American  stage  the  year  following. 


The  Remington  Auto-Loading  Shotgun 


"BROWNING'S 
PATENT" 

ss=a 


It  was  th->  Remington  Autoloading  Shotgun,  \n  the  hands  of  an  amateur, 
that  won  the  recent  Grand  American  Handicap  against  495  contestants.  It  is 
the  PERFECT  gun  for  trap  and  field. 

Send  for  our  150  page  catalog;  It  is  free.  We  have  "Everything  for 
Every  Sport  in  Every  Season." 

BROWNING  BROS.  CO.,  •  Ogden,  Utah. 


OUR  INLAND  SEA 

The  Story  of  a  Homestead 

Bv  ALEREI)  LAMBOURNE 
zuitah  Subject-  A  Utah  Rumor.  A  Utah  Product. 


Artistic,  Literary,  Descriptive,  Naturalistic,  Philosophic. 

Printed  on  tine  dechle-edge  art  paper.  Interesting, 

Instructive-  A  beautiful  present  or  souvenir. 

THE  WONDEREUL  BODV  OF  WRTER  DESCRIBED—  Its  storms,  Its  calms, 

Its  glorious  sunsets,  Its  islands  and  Its  shores. 
THE  LIFE  OF  THE  GULLS— The  bird  endeared  to  the  hearts  ot  the  people 

of  Utah. 
Sent  bv  mail,  postage  prepaid,  on  receipt  of  price  .  $2  50 

As  a  special  inducement  to  those  who  subscribe  for  the  ERA 

we  will  mail  It.  price       -  -        -        -        $2.00 

IMPROVEMENT  ERA,  214  Templeton  Building,  Salt  Lake  Citv. 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,  please  mention  the  Era.) 


Busts  of  Joseph  Smith 
and  Bripfham  Youner 


TEACH  your  children  the  history 
of  the  Church,  while  they  are 
looking  at  the  prophets.  Have 
models  before  you  and  make  the 
lesson  more  impressive.  We  have  the 
finest  busts  ever  made  of  the  Prophets 
Joseph  Smith  and  Brigham  Young.  The 
highest  recommendations  from  members 
of  the  families.  Susa  Young  Gates,  Zina 
Y.  Card  and  other  prominent  members 
have  ordered  from  us  and  recommend  them 
highly. 

A  pair  of  these  in  your  home  will  cause 
you  and  your  family  to  honor  and  respect 
these  men  whom  God  has  honored.  These 
are  made  out  of  a  composition  that  can  be 
washed.  They  are  8f  inches  tall.  Satis- 
faction guaranteed  or  money  refunded. 
Over  500  pairs  sold  In  two  weeks. 

Greatest  work  of  its  kind  ever  performed 
in  Utah.  Prices,  $2.50  per  pair,  express 
paid  anywhere  in  the  United  States. 

Agents  wanted  everywhere,  returned 
Elders  preferable.  Liberal  commissions 
to  right  parties. 

While  in  the  city  for  the  mutual  confer- 
ence make  our  office  your  headquarters. 


SALT    LAKE    SCULPTURAL    & 
DECORATIVE  COMPANY 


106  East  Second  South 


Salt  LUtah 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,  please  mention  the  Era.) 


WW  CMMllM€MMtM%ZM  %Z  The  Peoples  Playground 


5 


en    & 

O       B 


«  CO. 


Z. 


Ii5 


THIS  SEASON  MORE  BEAUTIFUL  THAN  EVER. 

The  fifty  odd  acres  which  comprise  the  resort,  have  been  equipped 
with  every  device  that  ingenuity  can  suggest  to  make  of  Wandamere  the 
"Dreamland"  of  the  West.     Booking  excursions  now. 

ED.  McLELLHlVD,  Manager, 

30  Main  Street,         ....  Salt  Lake  City. 


<tQH  nn  ROUND  TRIP 
4>OU-UU        TO  CALIFORNIA 

JUNE  i-2,  JUNE  24th  TO  JUlY  JOth 
FINAL  LIMIT  OCT.  3Jst 
Tickets  on  sale  all  stations  in  Utah 

LOW  EASTERN  ROUND  TRIPS 

JUNE  4-5-U  12  16-26,  JULY  2-3-23-24 
FINAL  LIMIT  OCT.  31st 
Tickets  on  sale  all  stations  except  Salt  Lake  City 

For  full  information  write  to 

KENNETH  C.  KERR, 

District  Passenger  Agent 


Salt  Lake  City. 
Also  rates  for  June  Conference. 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,    please  mention  the  Era.) 


Spring  Suits  for  Hen,  Boys 
and  Children  at  Z.  C.  fl.  I. 


We  never  had  a  nicer  display.  Every 
suit  shows  the  unmistakable  hand  fashion- 
ing of  master-tailors  and  is  correct  down 
to  the  minutest  details  of  fashion,  fabric, 
finish  and  fit.     Prices  range  from 

$15. 00  to  $UO.  00 


Every  new  shape  in  stiff  and 
soft  Hats  in  black  and  the  cor- 
rect spring  shades — splendid  line 
of  Men's  Furnishings. 


The  McCormick  self-dump 
Hay  Kake  is  in  general  use 
throughout  the  world.  It's 
better  thaa  all  others. 


We  sell  the  "ncCORniCK,'.'  riachinery  at  all  our  Branches 

Consolidated  Wagon  &  Hachine  Co. 

GE/).  T.  ODELL,  Qen'l  M'gr. 


UTAH  and  IDAHO 


(When  writing  to  Advertisers,   please  mention  th*  Era.) 


=u